The Power Keeper: The Crystalline Guardian - Book One: Discord
by The Power Keeper
Summary: Sapphire's story begins in the Crystal Empire, where she has lived her whole life, that is, until Celestia offers for a permanent stay in Canterlot. Meet Sapphire, Dusk Shine, and friends as they meet their first obstacle in the Crystalline Guardian Saga: Discord. Discover the secrets of Equestria's past as well as the Power Keeper, and delve to unknown secrets of lost history...
1. Rise of the Crystalline Guardian Pt 1

-Chapter I- The Rise of the Crystalline Guardian Pt. 1

-The Crystal Empire, Equestria

-15th of March, 1008 A.D.

-6:30 A.M.

-Sapphire

***Book One: Discord***

_Throughout history, there has been a being of the dark among us, always different, yet very similar to ourselves. Though she is known by many names throughout time, they are never remembered by those whom never knew her, never recited through history, forever to be the unknown hero, despite what their achievements were, they shall never be known...or perhaps, maybe they will someday. The line of the Power Keeper shalt never fall, lest they be bested by its mortal enemy, created by same hands as she, with the sole purpose to hunt down and destroy her brother, the Abysmal Demon Manus..._

I lied on my bed, waiting for I did not know what. The only knowledge I had of the events that were to take place were the soon arrival of one of my instructor, Starswirl and our daily lessons in magic. Recently we have been focusing on wards and how they work, as well as other spells that majored and focused in the art of defensive magic.

My mind gradually wondered away into its personal reality within my memories. I imagined myself back before I had even considered entering Princess Celestia's School of Magic. I pictured myself as I am now, walking through open Equestria alone, rather than reality of the past when I was but a young filly. I sighed at the memory of the relief of fillyhood ignorance, without need to know so much about the world, but just happy and content with existing within it alone. These memories warmed my heart with feelings of joy washing away the worries of the present, that is, until I was six...

My name is Sapphire, just another Crystalline Equestrian resident dwelling in the Crystal Empire. Though I wasn't being affected personally yet, rumours have been traveling about that beyond the cluster of homes and buildings, constantly bathed in the lighthearted atmosphere of love that emanated from families and friends throughout the kingdom, King Sombra was growing rather fierce and randomly would burst into maniacal laughter. His rule has been doubted often recently, and although I never supported him exactly, it still sets worry heavily into the air. Some say his sanity is dwindling away, others say he is only nearing the end of a long-planned goal, setting light to his giddiness and gaiety. Either way, this did not prove to be a seemingly positive future for the empire. I sighed at the worst-possible circumstances that penetrated my thoughts, forcing their way through into my mind despite my efforts to push them aside.

For awhile I occupied myself by looking through my crystalline hoof at objects around the room, tinted the bright-blue of my body and of a somewhat distorted shape of their normal state, until I heard a short series of knocks on the door of my home.

"Sapphire? Are you ready?"

"Yes sir," I replied. As I got up from my cushioned bed in the corner of the one-roomed

house, I stopped and lowered my head next to the ear of my scaled friend, Faith. "Faith, come. It is nearly the break of dawn," I softly whispered into her ear, flicking irritably at me.

"I still don't see why _I _must be awake at such an early hour," the baby, blue messenger dragon complained a_s_ she turned over in her soft bed, "you are always saying a youthful dragon at an age such as mine should always get as much sleep as he or she can," she continued in a mumble.

"I also always tell you to go to rest earlier in the day, rather than staying up near the middle of the night such as you do."

"Doing only what it is that I am assigned to do," she stated in rebuttal.

"True, and I am very grateful for what it is you do, too," I sighed. "All right, you may rest for awhile longer. I shall grant you another hour, how is that?"

She smiled at her verbal victory. "Very much appreciated. Thank you Sapphire."

I couldn't help but let loose a slight giggle at her as she yawned before curling back into a ball and closing her eyes. I quieted myself as she drifted back to sleep, indicated by her breathing lightening, and grew slower with each inhale and exhale. The tranquility of sleep seemed like a pleasant time, though I ignored the thoughts of going back to bed to avoid temptation. With a sigh I turned back to the direction of the door where Starswirl waited.

"I apologize, Starswirl," I said softly as to not awake Faith. I opened the door to reveal the kindhearted face of the elder unicorn. He wasn't from the Crystal Empire, which was shown obviously through his looks as not being a crystal pony, but a plain coat of black and a small collection of short, grey whiskers upon his face. His eyes were a yellow, full of wisdom and knowledge with years of life experience and did nothing more than simply smiled. I had known Starswirl my entire life, though I was Celestia's student in magic, who lived across the country in Canterlot, Starswirl was the one who taught me most of what I knew. This was mainly due to my unwillingness to leave the Crystal Empire and its extensive knowledge within the library in the city, and for many more reasons, including the many memories shared within the city and especially within my home. However I often would either leave to Canterlot to visit her or vice versa. When we couldn't meet, one of Celestia's closest friends, Starswirl, would care for me and be the one to teach me as much as he could of what he knew.

"It's quite all right," he assured me. "I understand that she wouldn't want to be awakened this early in the morning," he added in a whisper similar to mine, "after all, _she's _not the one who has lessons." He gave a quiet, hearty chuckle. "Come along." I followed him outside of my door before closing it softly behind me and continued along with him to wherever he felt it necessary to hold our next lesson. "Oh," he began suddenly, "before I forget, Celestia wanted me to let you know that we are heading to Canterlot after this morning's lesson." He gave me a warming smile.

I gasped with excitement. "Really?" I said, unable to contain my giddiness. It was somewhat rare to go to Canterlot, Celestia was always so busy having to deal with the responsibilities of ruling an entire country, as well as dealing with the rulers of the lands that surrounded Equestria. I smiled brightly, about to dash out of the room to complete our lesson as soon as possible.

"Calm yourself, calm yourself," he said with a chuckle, "if you wish to finish you must

keep with my pace, I couldn't go much faster if I tried."

"Yes sir," I said, eventually settling down. I couldn't wait to go back to Canterlot, although it hadn't been long since I was last there, it was still fun, and I was able to learn from the Princess directly. It wasn't that I had anything against Starswirl, but I looked up to Celestia as something like a sort of role-model. My happiness immediately disappeared when the worst possibilities entered my mind for reasons she'd like to see me. _Did I do something wrong? Could it be bad?_ I grew more anxious the more I thought about the very possibility. Could have I done something that would make Princess Celestia or Princess Luna angry towards me? What would it have been, though?

I did my best to restrain my fear as we trotted together across the brick pathways of the city to where Starswirl's residence lied. I wasn't sure if I was to be nervous or excited, for I found it strange to be told of traveling to Canterlot to visit the princess, rather than following the usual routine where Starswirl tells me of this news as we finish, telling me to head for the train station just before I take my leave. This change must've been for an explicit reason. It must've been a special occasion of some sort, whether it be bad or good, to abandon the normality of the process. Contemplating upon the very idea worried me more, causing my anxiety to rise with each passing moment as I continued to think about it.

This way of thinking was but one fault in my unique way of thought, for once I had mentally discovered a negative reason for an event, I couldn't help but cling to the thought, and I would be unable to push the idea aside, allowing me no peace of mind whatsoever. I remembered that we were still moving onward, while my mentor led. I shook my head to clear my mind, getting the nerves to ask of the situation.

"...Sir?" I asked fearfully, my legs shaking unwillingly.

"Sapphire, you have no need to call by 'sir', address me as though I am a friend. Unless, of course, you do not wish to see me in that sort of light. I guess it doesn't make a difference to me, so if that is the case you can call me as such."

"Yes sir – er – Starswirl, I mean..." I corrected myself quickly.

I heard his slight chuckle. "Like I said, it doesn't make a difference to me, I was just informing you that you may...as I have so many times already."

"Forgive me Starswirl, it is just difficult to do so with such a legendary being such as yourself," I said apologetically. I admired his patience with me and my habits.

"What was it you were about to ask, Sapphire?"

"Oh! Yes, would you happen to know...just what the reason was that Princess Celestia wished to see me?" I asked, quickening myself so that I was to his side, keeping an equal pace to his.

He stopped suddenly, then turned his head towards me in a confused manner. Then closed his eyes and smiled, a sign that, I had figured out awhile before, meant that he understood, or at least believed he knew. "Sapphire, why you must dread on everything possible still dumbfounds me. I wouldn't worry, little one, for Celestia is not normally the bearer of negative news. I think your worrying is unneeded."

"But what if I'm not?"

He smiled again. "Sapphire, I command you to stop your dreading any longer, for our next lesson awaits...or rather, your test," he said with another chuckle.

I swallowed hard. "Test? What do you mean 'test'? Did you already inform me? Oh, I should've prepared-!"

"Sapphire!" he cut me off, "Do not worry, for I believe this will be an examine that will be difficult to fail. Especially since it's more of a review."

"Review?" I asked uneasily, yet my confidence slowly increasing.

"Yes, just to go over and make sure that we have mastered the spells that I have educated you."

I relaxed as I let out a loud sigh. This, I thought I could surpass without much difficulty. Finally as we walked up to the grand, heavy doors of Starswirl's home, I was shocked to see an obstacle course of a sort to be revealed from the other side.


	2. Rise of the Crystalline Guardian Pt 2

-Chapter II- The Rise of the Crystalline Guardian Pt. 2

-The Everfree Forest, Equestria

-15th of March, 1008 A.D.

-6:45 A.M.

-Celestia

No discussion took place between the sisters as they tread the dark terrain of the Everfree Forest to where their destination lied. A destination of which Princess Luna had not known. The only sounds that could be heard by the two were those of the forest itself, the animals making their usual croaks, hoots, and barks; the mysterious noises reverberating through the thick air without a source of which it came; and the hoofsteps of the princesses themselves.

Thoughts of terror and madness ran through Celestia's mind as she trotted through the dreadful forest, and she dared not say a single word in fear of letting the nightmarish thoughts out for her younger sister to dread upon as well. Discord...Queen Chrysalis...the Sirens...Tirek...Sombra...surely Equestria and the residents within are sure to be in for the worst, even after the treacherous event of the monarchy's fall.

After awhile of traversing the dark woods, Luna finally broke the silence, "Tia...does this have to do with mother or father?" She asked sadly. The mere mentioning of their recently deceased parents struck pain into Celestia's heart, memories flowing into her mind of their presence. Memories that will eventually fade if not kept dear constantly and will never have the opportunity to occur again.

"Here." Celestia said aloud to Luna, not willing to answer her question. She could sense her sister's confusion, she displayed it in a way it was nearly impossible to not notice. Celestia couldn't reveal the secret she now possessed, not to her sister, not to anyone. She sighed, trying to find a way to avoid speaking the truth with any severe consequences.

"Sister, what is 'here'? We are in the middle of the Everfree Forest, not that I'm doubting your sense of direction..." she paused, looking around at the scene surrounding them, "...but I don't see anything here." Celestia couldn't find a response. "Tia?"

"What I'm about to reveal to you, my sister, is a family secret that I think now you shall know." She said as her horn began to glow. The ground began to shake, and split apart before them, revealing a large cavern, which Luna had never before seen. When its opening was large enough for even a dragon to enter, the tremor ended, and the ground stopped its movements. Celestia took a pleasure in seeing her sister's astonishment upon seeing the vast cave, just as she always had. The two were always close, and she adored her younger sister and loved amazing her. She smiled, which almost instantly disappeared as she began walking towards the inside of the cavern with Luna hurrying to her side.

As she was walking towards the centerpiece of the scenery, Celestia began to feel a presence watching her, although she could not see it, she could sense it following behind them. Upon beholding the wonder sealed within, Luna gasped, "The Tree of Harmony..."

Celestia listened to the tinkling that the sparkling of the crystal tree gave off as she inspected every beautiful detail of the natural wonder, from each branch, each holding an Element of Harmony, the sun and moon engraved into the trunk, to the center of the entire structure, the star of which resembled Sapphire's cutie mark, to which she flew to, parting it with her magic. She looked back at Luna, still scanning the area for any sign of their observer, as the symbol glowed.

"Are you sure?" Luna asked, flying towards her sister.

"We have managed to discover the only means by which we can defeat Discord, and free the citizens of Equestria." She falsely explained. As she removed the Elements from their places in the Tree, she continued, "even without these Elements, the Tree of Harmony will possess a powerful magic." The Element of Magic was released, and together, the Elements of Harmony all hovered around the two flying near the tree as the elder sister finished, "As long as that magic remains, it will continue to control and contain all that grows here."

The two landed, and began to leave the Tree's cavern. "Tia, where exactly is the Element of Courage? I saw its branch, but the Element is missing..." Luna asked.

"It," Celestia told her, "is already back at Canterlot."

"Why do I have the feeling you're not telling me everything, sister? What else is happening that I do not know of?"

"I've told you everything Luna. Discord needs to be stopped, and the Elements will aid us in doing so."

"So how come you've already acquired the Element of Courage?" Luna asked as they quitted the cave, heading north to where their home was, and where they'd be expecting Sapphire to arrive.

"That, Luna, is something I'll have to explain later. For now, we must take haste, for we are expecting company soon, and we must prepare for their arrival."

"Tia?"

"A dear friend of ours." She explained with a smile.


	3. Dusk Shine

-Chapter III- Dusk Shine

-The Crystal Empire, Equestria

-15th of March, 1008 A.D.

-6:40 A.M.

-Sapphire

After 10 minutes spent with Starswirl explaining the course, I did my best to prepare myself for the exam. I went through the processes of each spell Starswirl mentioned that was needed for the course, listing them as he walked me through it, as well as a few extras I may have needed if my attempt were to go awry, and what was needed to use them. I must have repeated everything to myself at least a dozen times.

_ Teleportation, transportation, camouflage, telekinesis, offensive maneuvers, and, most importantly, shields. Shields are the main focus._ I had assumed shields and other defensive spells were the main reason and topic of this obstacle course. I didn't know why, but I felt that the course and my being sent to Canterlot afterwords were for whatever reason were connected. However, I couldn't fail this test of my skills. I could sense this exact one had another purpose other than just testing myself. That reason, I couldn't find.

I took a deep breath as I slowly trotted to the beginning of the track. I nervously dug one of my front hooves into the ground, then looked to Starswirl, who gave a reassuring nod and smile. I closed my eyes, bracing myself, and, without thinking, charged forward. The mechanisms were powered by Starswirl's magic, sending a variety of targets and supposed threats into my view in various sizes and forms.

The first thing that I was to target was a mass of red apples, sent flying into the air spinning. Without thinking, I sent a group of beams at each piece of fruit. I didn't stop to admire my work as it began raining applesauce down where the apples flew, but instead continued forward. I turned right around a corner to advance, met by a barrage of small bales of hay, each one didn't stop until met by my magic, which I used to throw at each other. I dodged every clump of hay that either was falling or was in my path.

I stopped only for a second to catch my breath as I reached an upwards slope. I looked up to see what it was that I was up against to find numerous barrels rolling towards me at frighteningly high speed. My first reaction was teleporting myself past the rolling barrels, causing them to completely going past me. I ran onward, randomly changing angles in the direction my goal was as to avoid any unexpected obstacles. When I stopped again I found myself in a somewhat open area compared to the considerably narrow path I had been following prior.

I looked around, scanning my surroundings for what it was I was supposed to either dodge or attack next. After a time of silence, I became worried. "Starswirl?" As I called out his name, two bales of hay of substantial size glided over the floor on either side of me, as though they were to smash me between them. My mind raced and I couldn't decide what spell to use, so I quickly created a shield that resembled a bubble. A "bubble ward" as Starswirl had called it. As the hay made contact with my ward, they simply crashed into it. Hay exploded from the two bales and hay was scattered everywhere in both large and small clumps.

I was about to go on before realizing that the other side of which I came was blocked by the wall of Starswirl's training room. Confused, I went over the list again in my mind: _teleportation, transportation, camouflage, telekinesis, offensive maneuvers, and shields..._ I found myself baffled. "We still haven't done camouflage, sir!" I didn't get a response at first.

"Ready, Sapphire?" There was a hint of humor in the elder equestrian's voice.

"For what, exactly?" As soon as I asked, I knew what was going to be the answer, so, as a rebuttal, I used my magic to camouflage myself. It was a simple process of reflecting light off of my body, so that I was impossible to spot, even with magic, seeing as how I didn't use a normal invisibility spell, where the magic itself coated me and made me _appear_ invisible.

"All right Sapphire, here I come!" called a familiar voice that wasn't Starswirl's. Almost as soon as she said it, Dusk Shine jumped in over the walls of the course. Although she wasn't as advanced as I was in the art of magic, she had always been extremely clever, and always was able to use her surroundings to her full advantage. She always had a plan.

I smiled, giggling. "All right, Dusk Shine, catch me if you can!" I teased.

She grinned. Her horn glowed as she closed her eyes, and I quickly understood what she was trying to do, she was using the only advanced spell that she knew, she was trying to detect me. She took a step forward to get to a closer proximity to me, that way she could be able to find me easier. I did my best to keep my distance from her as she moved around, keeping my gaze upon her. I mirrored every step she took, so that the space between us never increased or decreased, but stayed the same, seeing as how this was all I needed.

My plan failed due to a small clump of hay that was lying on the ground, which was crushed and dispersed upon my hoof crushing it. It made a quiet _crush_, which I hoped would have been the end of it, but unfortunately, Dusk Shine heard it, and she jerked her head in the direction of the sound. Her eyes opened, revealing her pink crystalline eyes. The amusement in her expression showed that she knew exactly where I was as she watched the hay shift under my hooves.

She began to run towards me, and I panicked and teleported myself behind her, revealing my location entirely. She turned around swiftly, finding me again without my invisibility. I stood there, smiling at her victory. We both laughed as she chased me throughout the course and, once we were out, around the room. Although she repeatedly nearly tagged me, I evaded her attempts constantly, exhausting me quickly, and before long I was gasping for breath when she at last caught me. She, too, was out of breath, and together we collapsed on the ground, sending stray hay flying away from us in all directions.

"You're...clever..." She said between breaths, "...doing whatever...that was..."

"...reflecting...light." I explained.

She swallowed hard before getting up. She reached out a hoof for me to grab to get up myself, which I gladly did. "You have to teach me how to do that sometime."

"Gladly." I looked behind my friend, to where Starswirl was, walking towards us. "How was that, sir- er...Starswirl?"

"Well done, Sapphire." He chuckled, then started to look confused, looking around the room as though he was searching for something. "Is Faith back at your home?"

"Yes." I answered simply.

"Oh, okay. For a moment I was beginning to worry. Isn't she usually with you during lessons such as this?"

"Yes, but I allowed her to sleep in a while longer."

He nodded, acknowledging my words. "Well, you may want to awake her." He continued by using his magic to flash four train tickets to Canterlot before me. I took them with my own and replacing his purple magic surrounding the items with my own turquoise aura. "Four?" I spoke up again. Without a word, he turned his head and smiled at me. After a second or two of Dusk Shine and I staring at each other in confusion, I realized what the extra ticket was for.

"Faith! Wake up! Wake up, wake up, wake up!" I joyously sped through my home, hopping about as Faith gradually got up from where she lied. She walked to my bed in our room, sleepy-eyed and shuffling her feet as she walked.

"What happened?" She asked, confused.

I stopped in front of her. "We're going to Canterlot!"

She rubbed her eyes of sleep and stretched to wake herself out of her sleep-like trance. She giggled. "You seem a lot more happier than usual, even when we're about to depart for Canterlot. Are these under different circumstances?"

"Yes, very much so." Without a word, she looked to me for an explanation. "Dusk Shine and Starswirl are coming with us!" Faith blinked once or twice before looking at me with wide eyes.

"Really? That's great!" She exclaimed, a wide smile traveling across her face with her eyes still half-open with exhaustion.

"Come on, let's pack." I said, using my magic to lift Faith on my back, then carrying her to our room. I set her on her small bed beside mine so that she could help me gather the necessities for our routine visit.

Before long, I had everything that I usually had in my possession when making such trips to Princess Celestia's castle just as Faith did her. After counting out the contents of my luggage twice and having Faith check hers before leaving our home, we walked to where Dusk Shine lived so that we could meet Starswirl at the train station together. Faith was once again on my back, now wide awake and just as ecstatic as I was and eating a small amethyst that consisted of her breakfast. As I trotted along down the street where Dusk Shine was waiting at her own home, I felt as though I was being watched. Now considerably later in the morning where the sun was well up in the sky, other Crystal Equestrians were now walking about the streets and were carrying a plethora of different items that they were to bring to either their shops or homes. Usually whenever I passed by another, they would smile or say "hello" in a pleasing and benign tone, such as the way of this city. Though large, everyone in the Crystal Empire were always kind to one another and, more often than not, related in one way or another.

The feeling of another watching me pierced into my back, and I turned to search for the cause, but to no avail. I turned back and continued to walk. I grew nervous as the feeling lingered, poking at my presence, and I couldn't help but mentally wriggle under the feeling, trying not to show my worry so that Faith wouldn't too fear the phantom in case it was nothing but my imagination, which was a very plausible cause. I sighed.

"Is something wrong Sapphire?" Faith asked.

"No, I'm fine. Just...excited is all." I replied.

I heard her laugh quietly as she stretched herself along my back. "Is this the first time Dusk Shine is coming with us? I don't remember her ever coming along to Canterlot before."

I used the question to keep my mind off of the feeling. "Yeah, I don't she has even left The Crystal Empire before. You should have been there to see her reaction. She was so thrilled."

"I can imagine!" She said, sitting up. "I mean, it would have to be really bad to have lived your entire life in the same place the whole time, with your best friend leaving every once in a while so far south."

"True...I can't wait to introduce her to Princess Celestia!" I exclaimed joyously. Dusk Shine was possibly even more excited about the occasion than me. She was already packed, and looked as though she were about to explode with excitement. "Are you ready?" I asked with a laugh. She gave a quick nod and a large smile. I especially wanted to see Princess Luna again, but since she has recently begun to learn everything about being a princess of Equestria, we haven't been able to do as much as we did when I was but a filly.

"Sapphire! Faith!" Dusk Shine yelled, sprinting to us with all her might. She was moving so fast she couldn't stop in time and sped past us, sliding for a few feet before turning around and trotting to us instead, laughing in an embarrassed manner.

"Excited?" I asked.

"Yes, very much so." She responded with a nod and wide grin.

"I could tell." Faith said, jumping off of my back.

"Girls!" I heard in the distance. I looked in the direction of Starswirl's voice to see him gesturing for us to hurry.

I turned to Faith and Dusk Shine. "Come on, we should hurry."

The Train Station was considerably empty, especially compared to most days in the Crystal Empire, where one could barely navigate their way through the city without traffic. However, where we were there were only a few others. I looked around, having the sensation of being watched again, and someone cloaked entirely in black, staring at me. I turned back to Starswirl, still weary of the Equestrian's presence. "Starswirl, do you know him?" I asked, pointing a hoof in the stranger's direction.

"Who, Sapphire?"

"Tha-" I started, but when I looked over to him, he was gone. "Oh, nevermind...I guess it was just my imagination." I said. I nearly jumped when I saw him again, staring at me.

"Hey Sapphire, what're you looking at?" Dusk Shine asked. I again pointed a hoof to the stalker without averting my gaze so he wouldn't disappear. When I did this, he started towards us.

"Starswirl?" I called for him again.

"Hmm?" I heard. After what I assumed turning in the direction Dusk Shine and I were looking in, he, without hesitation, spoke again, "Sapphire, Faith, Dusk Shine, would you please get into the train?" I turned to do as he ordered, but looked back to see the stranger quicken his pace while joined by a second man who, unlike the first, wasn't cloaked, but had a coal-black coat. I sat down, followed by Faith then Dusk Shine. Starswirl came in shortly after. A shrieking whistle blew and a great deal of smoke was expelled from the train before we began moving out of the station. I watched out the window as we departed just before they reached us. The first said something to the woman standing beside the tracks to collect tickets, who shook her head and pointed a hoof to the train. The stranger seemed angered, turned to his partner, then shot a menacing gaze at us before turning to leave. I felt as though the fearful gaze was to be directed at me.

"Those were King Sombra's men..." I said, remembering a book I once owned about the Crystal Empire.

"Why were they following us?" Faith asked Starswirl.

"I...don't think they were following us. I wouldn't worry about it." He said with a comforting smile. I could sense his lying. There was something that he was trying to keep hidden. Something that had to do with those men. But, seeing as how Starswirl was trying to keep it concealed, I played along and acted as though I, too, was clueless about the situation.

At last, just as I suspected, Dusk Shine's eagerness got the best of her, "I can't believe I'm going to the royal city of Canterlot!" She exclaimed, "Thank you so much Sir Starswirl." She said, slightly bowing her head.

He smiled at her enthusiasm. "Please, just call me Starswirl, Dusk Shine. Nothing more is needed."

She gave a quick nod, then began to shake with anticipation. Just as the Crystal Empire, the worries about the mysterious men were behind me, and I looked forward to be able to visit the Royal Sisters, especially now with my best friend. As I looked out the window, I happily watched the trees fly past the windows, quickly obstructing the warm sunlight that filled the crystalline train cars only for a second, causing them to glisten constantly. The snow, too, glittered from the sky, each reflecting a miniscule glitter of sunlight that made the land itself seem to sparkle with life.

"So where will I be staying?" Dusk Shine asked.

"Hopefully," I answered, "in the castle's chambers just as I do."

"Most likely." Starswirl spoke up. "If I know Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, they will show only the kindest hospitality to you. I highly doubt they'd do anything less than allowing you residence in their home."

"I'm really glad you're able to accompany us, Dusk Shine." I said joyously.

"Sapphire, are you sure you feel all right?" Faith asked again, "you seemed freaked out when you saw that man."

"I'm sure, Faith. You needn't worry, but I appreciate it." I said with a tender smile. In return she gave a worried grin.

I turned back to the window the view the beauty of the landscape, slowly transforming from the snowy tundra of northern Equestria to the warmer, greener, sunnier lands of the rest of the world. A sudden comfort washed over me, and I closed my eyes and relaxed my body, not to fall asleep, but rather to rest. My vision flashed black and red as the sun shone on me and after awhile I opened my eyes again, but was temporarily blinded by the bright light of the car, an effect that lasted not long at all.

I blinked a few times to dissipate the sensation, then noticed Faith sleeping beside me, curled around one of my hooves. I turned to Dusk Shine. "Was I asleep?"

She nodded, "but not for long, its only been a few minutes." She leaned over so that she saw Faith lying next to me. "I guess Faith was tired too." She said with a light laugh.

I looked back out the window of the train car to see Canterlot in the distance, clinging onto the mountain that it always has. "There it is!" I quietly, though excitedly, said, pointing a hoof in the direction of the large city. Dusk Shine joined me in basking in the very sight of it. I looked down and noticed that the tracks were no longer on the ground either, so we were at quite a height as to reach it. We were heading sharply southwest, and where I sat I looked west, allowing me to view the city from afar. Even at the distance we were from it, Canterlot still looked as beautiful and regal as ever.

I peered to the other side of the car, looking out into the distance through its windows to see the land stretch east. I looked at an angle to see southwards, able to see a large apple grove a distance away south of the city. I realized something when I returned my gaze back to Faith. "Where's Starswirl?" I asked Dusk Shine.

"He said he'd be right back. He noticed you and Faith were asleep and left."

"Which way did he go?" I asked, curious. Dusk Shine pointed a hoof up the train. As I was just about to get up from where I sat, carefully maneuvering myself in a way that wouldn't wake Faith, Starswirl entered through the car's door, using his magic to hold a silver platter.

"Here you are," he whispered, "here Sapphire, I was expecting you and Faith to still be asleep." He said, placing a substantial sized ruby near Faith, a plate of crystal corn for Dusk Shine, and a bowl of crystal berries for me, these exquisite delicacies were our favorite dishes of The Crystal Empire.

"Thank you, Starswirl." I said graciously, watching as Dusk Shine did the same. Dusk Shine lifted her crystal corn with her magic while I sat my bowl beside me. Returning my gaze to Canterlot, which was now much closer. We gradually spiraled up around the mountain on the tracks that led to our destination, and at each time we were able to even catch a glimpse of the city from behind the land formation, I saw more and more detail. I saw Princess Luna and Princess Celestia flying to the city from the southeast, where the Everfree Forest lies. The nearer to Canterlot we became, the more Equestrians I noticed about, from pegasi flying about to unicorns holding a plethora of things. Just as The Crystal Empire does, a large castle looms over Canterlot, where the Royal Sisters take up residence. Dusk Shine joined in my amazement.

Though I've been there countless times, I never remembered seeing so much at once. Sights I had always taken for granted, I assume. The train slowly came to a stop once we rode towards the train station of Canterlot, and with a screech and a collection of blows from its whistle, our train came to a complete stop. Slowly the passengers, mainly consisting of merchants and other artisans, began to leave, emptying out the train. Soon it was just the four of us. I woke up Faith, setting her on my back, and took my bowl of crystal berries with my magic while Dusk Shine took her stuff with her, gathered up in saddlebags that she strapped to her back similar to my own, but instead of my cutie mark of a magical star on the sides, it was her cutie mark, a heart.

As we got off the train I noticed a bulky stallion waiting at the station, appearing intimidated. He was yellow with a corn cob as a cutie mark. He looked at me and smiled, then returned to his waiting.

"Sapphire, come on!" I heard Dusk Shine say excitedly from afar. I turned to where her voice came and saw that her and Starswirl were a distance away from Faith and I, awaiting us to catch up with them. I galloped towards them, and met them as they began walking again. Dusk Shine curiously gaze in awe at everything that was the capital of Equestria.

"How is it, Dusk Shine?" Faith asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. I removed the ruby from my saddle and gave it to her, then carefully putting the bowl of berries in its place, trying to keep it from spilling over.

"It's...amazing..." She said slowly, awestricken. "Though, I find it peculiar that everyone is so..."

"Plain?" I guessed.

"Yeah, nothing here really...sparkles. But it's still beautiful nevertheless." She did have a point. None of the Equestrians nor their homes or structures were as marvelous as those from The Crystal Empire. Crystalline Equestrians were somewhat transparent and had a crystal-like coat, whereas the rest of Equestria was somewhat bland, having typically only one color body and manes that didn't shimmer in the sunlight. Their cultures, habits, professions, even food and all the such were completely different.

"Yes, they, just as I, don't exactly stand out physically as Crystalline Equestrians do, but they are just as unique and wondrous each in their own ways." Starswirl said. Dusk Shine had never questioned why he always had looked so different, but I had always guessed that she just didn't want to question it, fearing that he might became self-aware.

"As do I. Unfortunately there are no crystal messenger dragons. It'd be nice to shine as brightly and colorfully as the gems I eat do though." Faith added, jumping off my back again.

While Dusk Shine gawked at the sights of Canterlot, I turned my attention to the sentries about Canterlot, scattered as they stand guard for a threat I couldn't guess. It wasn't often that Canterlot was attacked, causing the guards to go on high alert, but since it was the world's capital, it was usually the first place to be attacked. One guard specifically, however, caught my attention. At first I was blinded by the silver light gleaming off of his armor, but when I inspected the source, my pace slowed. He was of a deep red body and a black mane with a cracked silver round shield for a cutie mark. He bore the silver armor, which meant he was of a higher rank than most soldiers, who had a bronze set with black trimmings, while the silver had decorative golden trimmings. His helmet had been smashed, dented, and damaged in so many other ways that it seemed nearly unrepairable, yet he still wore it proudly. He turned his brown eyes to me and nodded in a smile in greeting. He pointed a hoof ahead of me, which I also took as a greeting, but when I rose a hoof to wave back, I was stopped short when I walked into a lamppost.

He winced as my vision blurred only for a second. Embarrassed, I trotted away as fast as I could, meeting up with Faith, Dusk Shine and Starswirl. "Are you all right, Sapphire?" Dusk Shine asked as I rubbed my forehead where I had hit the pole.

"Yeah." I said with an embarrassed laugh. We continued to where Princess Celestia's castle looms over the rest of Canterlot. Dusk Shine marveled at the multiple towers that sprouted from the structure. As the guards granted us entry through the doors leading into the castle, we were met by two more, who guided us to Princesses Celestia and Luna's throne room, which we found to be empty. Suddenly the worst possible cases entered my mind again.

"Well..." Starswirl mumbled uncertainly, "I guess we're early."

"Actually, you're perfect." Princess Celestia said as she entered the room behind us, followed by Luna. Luna and I exchanged joyous smiles as she passed me by, then nodded in greeting to Dusk Shine and Faith. "I do apologize, my sister and I were on an errand, so I caused us to be the ones

late."

"Sapphire, why don't you show Dusk Shine to her room? She'll be staying next door to you." Starswirl asked.

"Yes sir." I replied. "Er...Starswirl." I stammered, to which he bellowed a slight chuckle beneath his breath. "Come on Dusk Shine." I said, gesturing for her and Faith to follow me.

Not a moment after we went through the heavy doors leading to the throne room, Dusk Shine spoke up. "So that was Princess Celestia?" She asked, to which I nodded. "And she was the one who helped you through..." She trailed off, though I knew what it was that she was referencing. I nodded again, trying not to think about the dreadful event.

"Sapphire, we are here to escort you to your room." A guard in golden armor with a sun and moon engraved on his helmet, signifying him as an elite, followed by two silver-ranked guards, told me in a gruff voice as we walked away from the doors to the throne room.

"How...come?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Currently Canterlot is under royal lockdown, therefore anyone whom is either royalty or is considered high-priority is to be watched over at all times."

At this point I didn't know what to think. "Who informed you we were high-priority?"

"We have orders directly from Princess Celestia to watch over you and your party." I didn't have anything to respond with, so I allowed him and his group to escort us. Faith had climbed on my back and Dusk Shine walked beside me as we were guided through the maze-like corridors of the castle. The elite guard walked in front of us and the two silver-ranks followed us on either side, keeping us from going astray.

"What's going on?" Faith asked in a whisper.

"I'm not sure _what's_ going on...but obviously it has to be something big. Otherwise, we wouldn't be watched by an elite sentry and two silver-ranked soldiers...right?" I replied in a barely audible whisper.

"Let's just play along, maybe we'll find out what it is exactly that's going on." Dusk Shine offered.

"Or we could just ask him." Faith said simply. Before we could stop her, she looked at the elite sentry and asked, "do you know what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" He replied without looking back at us.

"The high security, the royal lockdown, everything." I explained.

"Recently Princess Celestia has been having troubles dealing with Discord." The guard on our left answered.

"_The _Discord? Like the god of disharmony Discord?" I asked. He nodded.

"What happened?" Dusk Shine asked.

"Recently Discord has been causing havoc across Equestria. His most recent 'game' ended with Las Pegasus upside-down, while the residents within it were left to use their teeth to cling desperately to the floating island while the ground was nearly 50 feet below them."

"Why didn't they_ fly_ to safety? Like a pegasus?" Faith asked.

"He removed their wings." The elite sentry told us. "No injuries, clean removal, as though they never had them in the first place."

I grimaced at this, "that's...scary..."

Dusk Shine nodded. "If he can do that...then who knows what else he's capable of?"

"Here." The elite said blankly. He nodded toward the two doors side-by-side.

"Um...thank you for...escorting us across the hall!" Faith said to the guards. Without a word, the elite only gave a short nod in acknowledgment, then in unison they turned around and left.

I blinked a few times to dispel my confusion. "What just happened?" I looked to Dusk Shine who only shrugged.

"I guess...we should be unpacking, then?" Faith offered. I nodded, then opened the door to my room while Dusk Shine did hers.


	4. Flower Bud

-Chapter IV- Flower Bud

-Canterlot, Equestria

-15th of March, 1008 A.D.

-6:45 P.M.

-Sapphire

"Sapphire?" I heard a familiar voice behind the bedroom door. "May I come in?"

"Yeah, just please give me one moment, Luna." I replied. I quickly put everything I had yet to put away in their proper places into my saddlebags and set it on my bed. I used my magic to open the bedroom door to allow the princess in.

After a quick hug, Luna followed me to my bed. "Sorry that my sister wasn't able to speak with you," she said apologetically, "she and Starswirl have something going on, something that even I don't know."

"What makes you think that?"

"She said for me not to tell you," she told me.

The worst-case scenarios began rushing through my mind.

"I'm sure think it was nothing bad," she added quickly, knowing how I think, "it most likely is just some sort of surprise." She said with a smile. After a while with no conversation between us and silence filling the room, Luna suddenly got up. "I'm sorry, Sapphire, that I wasn't much of help, but I think that something is going on, and that you should know about it."

I looked up at her with a grin, "Thank you, Luna for letting me know about this..." I looked down to the ground, thinking that she turned to leave, but she placed a hoof on my shoulder as to calm me. She looked at me with benevolent eyes, with a soft touch that would calm even the most anxious of Equestrians.

"Finish unpacking. Soon I shall let the moon rise, and you should be get ready to rest. Tomorrow, who knows? Maybe my sister will reveal what it is she has planned for you," she advised.

This calmed me. I took a deep breath, and nodded in understanding. "Although..." I began, "...when I finish, and you have yet to do so, may I watch you raise the moon?" I always had loved watching the rising and setting of the sun and moon. The intensity of magic required, as well as the process itself, always fascinated me to a great extent.

A bright smile graced Luna's lips. "I would love to have you there...even more if you helped me," she said, beginning to walk out.

I was instantly filled with joy. I had never done anything such as raising the moon before. It was a privilege and duty only given to the royal sisters. "I...I would love to!" I exclaimed unknowingly loud, causing my words to bounce around the room and no doubt the hallways outside the door.

Luna winced at my loud voice, then relaxed her expression into a smile. "I'm glad." She said with a laugh, "I'll wait for you, then."

"What if I take longer than expected?"

"Then Equestria will have extra hours of the sun," she answered over her shoulder as she took her leave. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Thank you, Luna." I said softly, not knowing what else to say after Luna's benign gesture. She opened the door and, before shutting it behind her, gave a soft smile and a nod. As soon as the door closed, I scrambled through my things and found the small drawing Luna had given me when I was still very young, the first time I had been to Canterlot and joined Celestia's school for magic, she had given it to me just before I left to go back to The Crystal Empire. It depicted her and I standing side-by-side with big smiles on each of our faces. I then set it next to the unlit candle on the nightstand beside my bed, then looked outside through the window over my bed at the setting sun and orange-tinted skies. I then snapped myself out of my gaze and began putting away my belongings.

"Hi Sapphire, what did I miss?" Faith asked, coming into the room. "I heard you from down like three halls down."

"Oh, sorry about that, I got a little excited." I said, feeling myself blush. I quickened my pace moving things about to my liking, and I got so carried away that my magic enveloped everything in the room, practically surrounding it itself in my turquoise aura. Once everything was perfected, I released the objects from my mental grip and quickly bid the baby messenger dragon goodbye. I sped through the stone-walled halls, causing the eloquent, crimson carpet that ran along them to fly behind me as I galloped over them as I tried to stay from any guards as to avoid being escorted just outside where Luna would be raising the moon. Being escorted would only waste time.

I sped through the halls until I found myself in front of the Throne Room again, then retraced my steps back outside, where dusk was starting to overtake the sky. I quickly tracked down Luna, who was overlooking the shadows elongate across every object of the rest of the lands of Equestria down below towards the sunset over the edge of Canterlot. A gust of wind blew softly through my mane as I walked to the princess and dear friend.

"Ready?" She asked without turning around.

"Ready." I assured as I sat beside her. We looked at each other and nodded simultaneously. Our horns lit up our surroundings as I mustered every bit of strength I could and unleashed it through my magic. Luna's horn, which was easily twice the size of my own, glowed in its own deep blue aura and, together, we raised the moon as the sun set. I watched in awe as I felt the magic flow through me and then pool with Luna's and giving us the amazing ability to lower an object of such massive proportions.

"It really is amazing, isn't it?" Luna whispered to me, a gleam of pride in her soft eyes.

"Having the ability to raise and lower the moon?" I asked. She shook her head.

"The sight of the rising and setting of sun and moon alike. I know the consequences if the responsibility is used improperly, but it gives one a sense of importance." She paused, "thank you dearly, Sapphire for your assistance. You were of much help," she said joyously.

"Thank you for letting me be here, Luna. I know I wasn't too much help, you doing such a thing every dusk and dawn, while I was here only to make things slightly easier."

"Don't say such things! You were great!" Her gaze softened again. "You were amazing," she said benignly, wrapping a hoof around me and hugging me. "Do not doubt yourself, Sapphire. One should not lower oneself as to believe they are very little or nothing, for that is just as treacherous to yourself as becoming too overconfident is too others."

I smiled at her eloquently worded advice. Princess Luna I had always seen similar to that of an older sister: watching over me, protecting me from any harm. Princess Celestia, however was the eldest sister to me, warning us of any negative consequences of our actions, caring for us and always there to guide and lead us.

Faith was already asleep when I crept into the candlelit bedroom. As always she was snugly tucked into her small basket-like bed, which was placed on the floor near the head of my own. I quietly and carefully placed my hooves in such a way while I made my way through the room so that I did not disturb the sleeping dragoness and, before climbing into my own bed for slumber to take hold of my body, gently placed a kiss upon her head as to bid her goodnight. She slowly opened her eyes and, as I clambered into bed, whispered softly, "Well done raising the moon."

I turned to her, then whispered back, "thank you, Faith. Now head back to sleep, something tells me we've got quite a day ahead of us tomorrow." She nodded in acknowledgment as she closed her eyes again then turned over. When I was under the covers of the exquisite bed of the castle's chambers, I looked back at her soundly asleep. I lied my weary head on the soft pillow and within seconds was asleep myself. Though I do not have any recollection of what I had dreamed of, it still set happiness and warmness into my heart and allowed me pleasant and restful peace throughout the night. It was Princess Celestia that awoke me from my slumber, softly calling my name as to wake me gently. When I gathered enough energy as to rise, I looked up at her as I continued to sit.

"Sapphire, wake up. I had breakfast prepared for you and your friends." She said calmly.

I was taken aback, not expecting such a thing to be done for us. "Thank you, princess." She smiled, waiting for me to get out of bed. When I was on the ground, I was about to wake Faith, but I found that her bed was empty and made. "Where's..." My words faded away. Celestia gestured for me to follow her. As I followed her, the scent of fresh corn and sweet hay met my nose. When at the end of one of the halls, we stopped before a double door, which Celestia opened when we neared it, revealing the room used as the royal sisters' dining room, with long tables set neatly throughout with exquisite dishes set across them.

"Sapphire! Look at this!" I heard Dusk Shine say. She was seated beside Princess Luna and an empty chair, which I walked to. My gaze trailed through every dish prepared for us. I sat

between Dusk Shine and Faith, and Celestia sat across from me, next to Starswirl.

"What is all of this?" I asked, agape.

"This..." Starswirl said, looking at the variety of dishes, "is a...propositional feast, so to speak. All thanks to Cornflower of the Maize family" He said, nodding his head at a yellow mare with a light-brown mane standing near him.

I cocked my head to the side in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"Starswirl and I spoke about it, and I would be delighted if you, Dusk Shine, and Faith...would like to stay here in Canterlot." Celestia said with a smile.

This struck me like a rock. I looked to Faith, who appeared just as dumbfounded as I felt, then Dusk Shine, who only shrugged. I thought about my quaint home in The Crystal Empire, the often visits I always made to its extensive variety of books in the library. My entire life had been practically spent there, and as for Dusk Shine, who had never left the city until this trip. My mouth opened to speak but I uttered no words.

"Now I understand that this is quite the decision," Starswirl spoke again, "so we are more than willing to give you time to think about it, so long as we have your answer soon, please."

I swallowed a bite of apple as he finished. Of course I loved the city, but I didn't know what were to lie ahead if I accepted or declined. I took a deep breath as to gather the words in my mind. "Thank you...I will think about." I assured. Celestia nodded, then Starswirl.

The rest of the breakfast sped by extremely fast, and Faith, Dusk Shine and I started to leave simultaneously with no words spoken between us. Just before leaving the room, I mustered the courage to speak once more, "thank you, for the breakfast...it was delightful." Princess Celestia nodded in acknowledgment with a smile while she gathered the dishes with Luna and Starswirl.

As we made our way through the castle, I couldn't help but break the silence that enveloped us. "What do you think of this?"

"I have no idea." Faith said plainly.

"I...I don't know what to think." Dusk Shine said weakly. "It's like taking a short break from life and then...saying goodbye to everything you know."

I sighed, "How about this..." I started, "we all think about this, get used to the Equestrians living here, see if we like the locals, the culture...and if we like it, well, we can decide from there." I looked to them for a response, and they both nodded in agreement.

I walked aimlessly about the market square, not knowing where to head or why. A though occurred to me that I should study things about Canterlot while I meet Equestrians. _I might find something interesting and, who knows? I could meet a friend or two who share in my interests._ I thought. I nodded to myself seeing the good point that I offered. Then the first thing that entered my thoughts about this was something that I meant to do for a time, which was studying the flora and fauna of Canterlot, seeing as how I already had multiple times of everything in The Crystal Empire. However, every time I made a trip into the grand city, the thought was always lost in my excitement. "Yeah..." I said quietly to myself.

I began to make my way to the Canterlot Botanical Gardens, a place that I had sometimes wished to explore. I trotted about, while I examined the beautiful architecture of the capital of Equestria, and in no direct way, gradually made my way to the building that, though I wouldn't be able to know the exact location, I would hopefully be able to identify the building and recognize it at least a little.

My hooves clicked as they made contact with the stone walkways twisting across the gorgeous parks and miniature plots of grass. Of course, it wasn't long before I found myself hopelessly lost amidst the identical nature scenes and buildings. I looked about frantically, desperately searching for anything that would stand out and give me somewhat of an idea of were I was. The closest thing of which I was able to find was a large tree with cobblestone walkways moving around it, placing it in the very center of a cobblestone road. Eventually I at last gave up

and stopped beside an empty carriage.

I watched as a pale green-bodied mare with a pale-yellow mane joyously trotted along to the large tree, quietly humming to herself as she bounced along. I watched, intrigued while she stopped before the foliage and inspected it very closely, then left only for a minute to return with a green pail of water with three white daisies painted to the side, resembling her cutie mark. She tipped her head to allow the water to flow from the pail onto the ground, disappearing as it was absorbed by the tree. After a few seconds, she abruptly stopped, then set it down beside her. She then removed the saddlebags that were resting on her back to reveal a pair of wings. She flew up and disappeared into the bright-green leaves. Multiple cracks followed, then dead branches began to fall from among the ancient tree's limbs. When twigs and branches were scattered around the tree's trunk, she flew down and began to sort the wood in a small pile. When it was cleaned, she took the pail and left again, then flew back with a garbage bag. She bagged the wood, then gathered her things and began to leave. I galloped toward her to ask if she knew where the gardens were.

As soon as she noticed me coming to her, she became frightened and began to run the opposite direction. "No, wait!" I yelled to her, "I didn't mean to scare you, I just wanted to know where..." I trailed off, seeing as how she escaped from my view. I sighed heavily, then walked away. I noticed that she left the bag of limbs, and took it with my magic as to throw it away. When I began to take my leave, I felt as though I was being watched again. I turned back to the direction where the Equestrian ran, and saw her watching me timidly in an alley. I stopped in my tracks and smiled and softly as I could. I slowly walked towards her, then gradually sped up so that I was in a normal trot. "Hi..." I said loud enough so that she could hear me.

She backed away a step or two, hiding her face behind her curly, pale mane. "Sorry..." She mumbled, barely audible.

"It's fine." I said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." The closer she was the clearer she became. She stared at me with her soft, blue eyes, unsure of her next action. She began to smile.

"I'm...Flower Bud..." She managed to say.

I smiled back. "I'm Sapphire. Nice to meet you." I said as benevolently as I could.

"...hi." she whispered. I guess I got too close, because she took another step back, and tripped over herself. I held out a hoof for her to pull herself up, which she took. "I'm sorry about that...I wasn't expecting anyone to come out of nowhere like that..."

"No, I'm sorry. It must've been scary for me to run to you like that. I'm new around here, and I was just wondering where I could find the Canterlot Bota-" Her gasp cut me short.

"The Canterlot Botanical Gardens?" She asked excitedly with a smile.

This was unexpected, so her spontaneous reaction caused for me to jump. "Yeah...I guess you know where it is then?" I asked with a nervous smile.

She blushed, backing away again. "Sorry...I get a little excited." She apologized with a embarrassed smile. "I work at the Canterlot Botanical Gardens. I'm more than fascinated with plants, so it just seemed like the perfect place for me to be."

"Oh, neat! I heard Canterlot has quite the vast variety of flora."

She nodded, "it does. That's why it's so fascinating! All of Equestria has unique plants respective to its environment." She said, beginning to lead me back to the tree. "They all live well enough on their own _because_ they all know just what to do at all times, no matter where it is they were planted and grow, even in the most desolate terrains with so little water, like a desert. But even as it may be, sometimes they need some extra help, like this tree." She continued, looking intently up to the tree.

"So that's what you were doing, caring for the tree...which is what this is, then?" I asked, bringing the bag beside me.

She nodded, "those are limbs that were dead on the tree, and when trees have dying branches, it tries to heal them. However, if it has too many, then it tries to heal them all at once, giving all of its energy and possibly causing the whole being to die."

"So you were removing the dead limbs so that the tree wouldn't have to worry about the responsibility of reviving them."

"Exactly!" She exclaimed. She gestured for me to follow her. "Come on, I'll show you where the gardens are."

I nodded appreciatively, "thank you."

She began to walk in the direction she ran in the first place towards the alleyway, took her things and strapping her saddlebags to her back, then continued walking, with me following a few paces behind. We maneuvered through the various streets as they twisted and turned, with nothing but silence between us. I didn't know what to say and I didn't know if it was her shyness or she was just the same.

"So...um..." She began, "you are from the Crystal Empire?"

"How'd you..." I started, then looked down and remembered that I was a Crystalline Equestrian. "...right...nevermind." I said with an embarrassed laugh. "So you said Flower Bud, right?"

"Mhm...but not very many Equestrians know me, other than the mare who takes care of Canterlot's plants..."

"How come?"

She paused for a moment. "...the same reason I ran from you. I'm kind of..."

"...shy?" I asked. She nodded in response. "Well, being known as the mare who takes care of the plants doesn't sound like something I'd want to be known as."

"I...don't really have very many friends...that's probably why."

I felt a sense of pity for the timid mare. She had to have been about my age, and her shyness was obviously the reason why she didn't have that many friends. She seemed to be kind and caring enough, but it was her fear of others that got in the way. She wasn't trying for any pity, that much I could tell. "Well...I'll be your friend, if you want." I offered.

"That'd be great, Sapphire...thank you." She replied with a smile. We both stopped simultaneously when we heard yelling from a distance. When I looked up in the air where I thought I heard it, fear bolted through me when I saw a pegasus flying towards me at full-speed. My instincts took hold of me when I teleported myself to the side about a foot, allowing the crashing Equestrian to fly past me. When she kept going I quickly teleported her through a tree that was in her course, then grabbed her in mid-air, slowing her and giving her the opportunity to slow herself down with her wings so that she could stop before she plummeted into the ground.

Flower Bud and I galloped to where she stopped, and she yelled, "Lightning! Are you okay?" then turned to me without stopping, "thank you Sapphire..."

She landed with one wing still sticking out bent backwards while she folded back her second, rubbing her head. She looked at me. "I'm so sorry about that, I was flying and I lost control, then when I tried to stop..."

I recognized the situation, and guessed what happened, "when you tried to stop, did you hear a crack, and your wing began to hurt?" She appeared confused, then nodded. "The air got trapped in your wing and built up too much air resistance, and it gave out." I explained, gingerly holding the wing up with my magic. I examined it, confirming my suspicion.

She looked at me with her dumbfounded expression again. "...what?"

"You broke your wing." I said simply.

"Oh my..." Flower Bud gasped.

"I'm White Lightning..." The mare said. "I take it you're the one Cornflower set the feast for? The Crystalline, right?"

"Yeah." I said.

"Lightning, were you trying to do the sonic boom again?" Flower Bud asked.

She let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of her neck, "yeah, kinda..."

"The sonic boom?" I asked quizzically, still examining the wing.

"Yeah!" She said, trying to fly into the air again, but quickly brought back down by her wing. She winced in pain, landing again. "It's only been spoken of. Never. Before. Accomplished." She said in a suspenseful tone. "It's said that when a pegasus goes _really_ fast, they create a blast of energy behind them in an amazing rainbow of colors!" She stopped, then looked as though something just struck her. "What's your name, by the way?"

"She's Sapphire." Flower Bud piped in.

Lightning laughed, "I guess you've met Flower Bud."

"Yeah, I kind of scared her..."

"Oh no, it's fine." Bud assured, "I get scared easily. I don't want you feeling bad."

I smiled. "Thanks, Flower Bud. All right, White Lightning, you might not like this. I'm sorry, but I'll have to snap the bone back into place."

"Wait, what?"

"Just hold on..." I said, placing a hoof where the wing bent as a lever, then using my magic to force the broken bone back into its correct position. She winced in intense pain, holding her breath to keep her from screaming.

"...thanks..." She squeaked as to keep her pain in control.

"Here, Lightning, you need to go to the apothecary." She turned to me, "Sorry, Sapphire..."

"Oh no, it's fine."

"Here, Sapphire, can you help us? Maybe you can tell the nurse what happened because, no offense, but I have no idea what you said."

"Is that all right?" Bud asked.

"Oh, yeah sure. I'm not doing anything, I was just going to kill time. Lead the way!"

"Really, Lightning? Again?" The nurse asked when we walked in to the apothecary shop.

"Yeah, I know..." She said, followed by an embarrassed laugh. "I also kinda went through a

stall, I think when I started falling. Gave me an aching neck."

The nurse sighed, then slowly placed a hoof on her forehead, then let out a quiet laugh. "Okay, well, come on." She said, waving a hoof toward her as to gesture for her to follow. They disappeared behind a wall at the other end of the room.

"Oh, Lightning..." Bud said beneath her breath.

"Does this happen often?" I asked.

"Every once in awhile...she's been trying to do the sonic boom for years. Thank you for helping her back there."

"It was no trouble, all I did was tell her what happened, then snapped her wing back. It should help heal it, even if by a little, it should quicken the healing process." Silence followed. "So you and Lightning are friends?"

She nodded, "we met when I first came here from Cloudsdale. She was patient with my anxiety and fears. Her actions were benign and she was the only one who actually wanted to know me." She shrugged. "We've been close since."

"I'd imagine."

More silence. "What about you?"

"Hmm?"

"Lightning said that Cornflower told her about two Crystalline Equestrians and a baby dragon. Are they your friends?"

I nodded happily. "Dusk Shine and I met when I was 6...she helped me through a...troubled time. Eventually Princess Celestia came and took care of me. She wanted me to stay in Canterlot, but it seemed wrong to leave..." An epiphany struck me. "Dusk Shine was like an older sister, and so was Princess Luna."

"You know Princesses Celestia and Luna? Well, I mean, I know you were at their castle, but I just assumed that you were there for a welcome."

"Yeah, we...they were like family...and Faith, the dragon, I had to hatch when I decided that I wanted to join Celestia's School of Magic. I was able to join, but since I didn't want to leave The Crystal Empire, Celestia understood and had Starswirl teach me when I was still there while I made visits to Canterlot now and then for Celestia to continue teaching me." When I said this, I heard Flower Bud gasp. When I looked at her, she looked as though she remembered something. She was wide-eyed. "What's wrong?"

"...nothing..." She said.

"What?"

"It's...nothing, really..."

"Sapphire? Can you please come in here?" The nurse asked, poking her head from behind the wall.


	5. White Lightning

-Chapter V- White Lightning

-Canterlot, Equestria

-16th of March, 1008 A.D.

-11:45 A.M.

-Sapphire

"Sapphire, can you please come in here?"

I looked at the nurse, turning my gaze from Flower Bud. "Yeah, sure." I said, trotting to the blue mare. She lead me to a small white room, with a lot of different instruments used for examining a patient. The snow-white mare with a gray mane, White Lightning, was seated on a stone bench with a brown stallion looking over her wing, wrapping it in bandages so that it could heal properly.

"Ah, are you Sapphire?" He asked. I nodded. "Very good, could you please tell me what it is that happened?"

The three of them looked at me. I took a deep breath, and began explaining. "When she was going as fast as she was, she told me that she lost control, and tried to stop herself." The stallion slowly raised his chin with a smile, knowing where this was going. "When the air resistance built up in her wing, it gave out and broke."

"Very good, young mare. What was your name again?" The stallion congratulated.

"Sapphire, sir."

"Hmm...well, I see that you've already snapped the wing in its rightful position, that should help tremendously." He said.

"Thanks, Sapphire." Lightning said.

I smiled. "It was no trouble."

"I do not recall ever seeing you around here." The stallion commented. "Have you just recently arrived from The Crystal Empire?" I nodded. "I've heard the Empire's ruler is beginning to lose himself."

"I'm not sure what to think about King Sombra, to be completely honest. I just prefer to stay out of such conflicts."

"And what a wise decision that is." He stopped and looked me over for a second or two, then bowed his head. "Thank you, Sapphire, for your help. White Lightning here hadn't told me that she was attempting the sonic boom again." He looked at her and shook his head when she nervously smiled back at him, most likely had been told not to do so a plethora of times. He sighed, "Lightning...how many times now..." He trailed off.

"I can do it! I know I can!" She replied.

"But I just don't see why you would want to. You've tried many times and each attempt

ending only in failure."

"Because..."

The doctor stared at her for a few moments, expecting a reply, but quickly gave up, shaking his head. "Well, you will have to keep from flying for a few days because of this incident, okay?"

She nodded.

White Lightning and I walked out of the room and returned to the waiting room, where Flower Bud still awaited. "Oh1 W-what did he say?" She asked.

She wriggled her wing still covered in bandages which kept the appendage parallel to a splint, "practically the same as usual. Although this time it'll only take a few days he said."

"Only a few?"

"Yeah..." Lightning looked at me, as though trying to recall a distant memory.

"Is there something the matter?" I asked.

"No...I just thought-" she stopped, "...nevermind." I gave a puzzled look, which she ignored.

"I should be getting back to the royal gardens..." Flower Bud spoke up, "Sapphire, would you still like to join me?"

I started to accept the invitation, but Lightning stopped me. "Flower Bud, is it all right if Sapphire went with me? I want to talk to you." She said to me.

"Um...I don't mind. That is, if she doesn't." She said, looking to me for my answer.

I shrugged. "Sure, I guess." The three of us left from the apothecary, then Lightning and I turned in the opposite direction than that of which Flower Bud took. After a few minutes of silence between us, I decided to find why she wanted for me to come with her. "So Flower Bud told me you two have been friends for quite a time." I said in an attempt at making conversation.

She nodded. "I'm sorry, I just want to introduce myself when I'm _not _in overwhelming pain. Like I said, I'm White Lightning, but you can just call me Lightning, everybody does."

"Nice to meet you, Lightning. I'm Sapphire."

"Nice to meet you too. I heard you might be staying here from now on."

I was taken aback that she knew of Celestia's proposal. "Yeah, how'd you know? I mean, maybe...I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet."

"Cornflower told me, and, well, you sure have already made an impression upon a few of the Equestrians around here."

"I have? How so?"

"It's a rarity for a Crystalline to be here in Canterlot. Which might also explain why you look so familiar. And Flower Bud rarely is able to become friends with others so easily."

"Oh." _Familiar? Is she talking about my past visits?_

"Plus Cornflower told me about the dragon you were with, and the other Crystalline."

"Yeah, that was Faith and Dusk Shine."

"Who was the dragon?"

"Faith."

She appeared confused. "Why do you have a dragon with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's no secret most dragons of Equestria aren't exactly the kindest of creatures. I'm surprised she hasn't tempted your life."

"What?!" I was surprised that such a suggestion would even be brought up. I did not know of any dragons that would kill. Then again, Faith was the _only_ dragon that I've come across, though I had always wanted to study a fully-developed dragon, watch in awe as I admired its brilliantly shining scales and large, rippling muscles. I had only seen pictures of them in my books, but I always admired their ways of life, wanting to unlock the secrets of their cultures.

"Well, most dragons are typically...you know..." I raised in eyebrow. "They are usually creatures of destruction, unstoppable to most."

I quietly laughed beneath my breath at the thought of Faith trying to be violent. "Faith is only a _baby_ dragon, and one with a conscience, at that. She would never even think of doing something as such." The idea of her developing into a monstrous dragon of epic proportions had occurred to me many a times, but each thought was quickly swept away by her only proving her innocence. I had hatched her, taken care of her, raised her. Most dragons were never so privileged, hence their actions.

"Well, you never know..." The fading of her words and following silence mixed concern with the other emotions I had been feeling up to this point, of which, was unneeded.

"So, are you from Canterlot?" I asked, trying to push the unsettling silence away.

"No, actually I'm from Las Pegasus. Also known as the most recent play-thing of Discord, turning it upside-down like that."

"Oh, I'm awfully sorry about that."

"Don't be. I just wish I could face Discord face-to-face, then I'd show him just who he's messing with." She boasted, attempting at flying into the air, but unable to and quickly grounded by her bandaged wing. I could easily believe she was from Las Pegasus, she obviously did not have the attitude of an Equestrian that had been raised with Canterlot's cultures. Even the way she spoke and acted differentiated from the habits of those from Canterlot or the Crystal Empire. "Well, I'm sure you've probably got to go meet Flower Bud back at the Royal Gardens."

"Royal Gardens?" I hadn't heard of such a place.

"Yeah, Princess Celestia said that she wanted the staff of the Canterlot Botanical Gardens to create a garden in her courtyard, putting Flower Bud in charge. She was so excited." She said with a smile. "It's going to have a whole bunch of flora and fauna there, most of which endangered so they can rebuild their population there without worry of predators."

"Sounds delightful..." I said in amazement.

"Yeah, if you're in that kinda stuff. I mean, it's not that it's not cool, but I've never been into such a topic. I'll let you get to it."

A nervous laugh escaped my lips. "Well, the thing is..."

A smile graced Lightning's lips again, "come on, I'll lead you there."

"Thanks, Lightning."

"Don't mention it."

"Hey, Sapphire!" I heard as we entered the castle's courtyard. I turned to the direction the call came to find Faith running towards us excitedly. Lightning backed away a step as she stopped before me. "I found something about that stallion you were looking at earlier!"

"_Faith!_" I said, embarrassed. "Leave such matters be. Please don't get yourself involved."

The excitement faded from her eyes and her shoulders drooped. "Oh, you're no fun." I flashed a quick demanding glance and she smiled nervously. "Fine, fine. I just thought you might want to know that his name is Head Start." She noticed Lightning, who still stood beside me. "Who's this?"

"This is White Lightning. Lightning, this is Faith."

"Hi!" Faith said brightly.

"...Hi." Lightning replied warily.

"Is something the matter?" I asked.

"No, sorry. I'm just somewhat exhausted, is all. I should probably get some rest. The gardens should be through the ballroom of the castle, go through the doors that lead outside." She directed as she turned to leave. "Bye, Sapphire. Bye Faith." She began trotting away, but stopped. "Oh, and Sapphire?"

"Yes?"

"If you can, stop by the mane salon. There's a unicorn there named Shining Star who I'd imagine would be more than happy to meet you."

"I'll see what I can do, hopefully I can remember." I told her.

"All right, thanks!" She called behind her, disappearing into the distance.

Faith and I looked at each other, puzzled. It was obvious her and I were thinking the same thing. "Why did she act like that?" She asked.

"I'm not sure...she hadn't acted like that when she crashed or when we were talking."

"Wait, what happened?"


	6. Vanilla Cream

-Chapter VI- Vanilla Cream

-Canterlot, Equestria

-16th of March, 1008 A.D.

-12:04 P.M.

-Sapphire

I walked through the castle's courtyard with Faith still on my back, using my magic to open the door into the castle, I unconsciously made my way through the entryway from the front doors and up the stairs where the ballroom was. I looked to the ground at my hooves as the ground beneath them continuously moved behind me. I was pulled from my thoughts when I accidentally bumped into someone else, sending us both to the ground and Faith tumbling off of my back.

"I'm sorry about that." I heard a deep male voice say apologetically. I winced as I rubbed my head, looking up from the ground to the stallion I had walked into. It was the stallion guard from the day before. He held out a hoof for me to pull myself up, which I took uneasily.

"I - er - uh..."

"Hey, I remember you from yesterday," he said with smile.

I felt myself blush. "Yeah, the mare who ran into the pole..."

"Well...yeah, I guess so. Are you all right?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. I really should start looking where I'm going," I said regretfully. "Faith, are you okay?"

She landed upside-down the way she had fallen, but at a low enough height that she wasn't hurt, and I couldn't help but let out a quick giggle as she looked helplessly at me, struggling to get back to her feet. I used my magic to lift her in the air and put her right-side up again, then set her back down. She stumbled for a moment. "Yeah, a little dizzy now, but other than that, I'm peachy. Thanks."

"I'm really sorry about that, miss..." he trailed away, "I'm Head Start, by the way."

"I...I...uh..." I said, not knowing what to say.

"You're Sapphire," Faith said plainly.

"Yeah, that." I said dumbly.

"It was nice meeting you, Sapphire," he said, beginning to dash the direction which I had just came.

"Head Start..." I whispered beneath my breath to myself. I noticed Faith looking at me with a wide smile. "What?" I asked.

"Aww, somebody's in love!" she teased.

I shot her a glance, and she quickly hushed with a slight smile still gracing her lips. "Come on," I said.

"I told you his name was Head Start. Did you not believe me or something?" I did not reply as to change the subject. Luckily Faith must've understood. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"Apparently Princess Celestia is having a garden of sorts being built." My words echoed throughout the empty ballroom. "Flower Bud is in charge and I think she wanted to show me around."

I looked expectantly at Faith, who only looked puzzled in return. "Who?"

"She...well, you'll see when we get there." I walked through the door leading outside on the other side of the ballroom, revealing a large, open garden full of bright green plants, most of which, not yet planted into the ground. I trotted alongside Faith through the landscape, admiring the multiple decorations all about. We passed by a large group of stallion Earthen Equestrians hard at work planting the trees and bushes. I scanned the area for Flower Bud, then found her flying about, giving glasses of ice water on a silver tray to some exhausted Earthen mares. When she saw Faith and I she set down the tray on a marble pedestal, said something to a familiar Earthen mare who picked the tray back up and continued to offer the water.

She galloped over to us, flying over a few wheelbarrows filled with soil and landing back onto the ground then slowed to a trot when nearing us. "Oh, hi Sapphire." She looked at Faith still standing beside me, then smiled, "who's this?"

"I'm Faith, Sapphire's messenger dragon. I assume you are Flower Bud?"

She happily nodded. "Come on, I'll show you two around." She said, taking to the air and began leading us about the garden. "Since not much is done yet, this might be a bit quick." She said softly.

I realized something as we browsed through the foliage that was strewn about with no order, which slightly set an ache in my stomach. "Sapphire? What's wrong?" Faith asked.

"Nothing." I assured.

Faith rolled her eyes, "it's your 'obsessive compulsive disorder' again, isn't it?"

"A little." I said, using my magic to pick up a few trees and plant them firmly in the ground. I found myself digging holes in the soil perfectly sized for the plants I had readied for each one, clearing the trail through the foliage of those that were yet to be planted and placing them in rows from tallest to shortest as I progressed. I was so deeply engrossed in the process that I didn't notice Flower Bud and Faith watching me as I did it until seconds after its completion. "Eheh..." I laughed nervously, rubbing the back of my neck out of uneasiness. "Sorry..."

"No, please don't be. That was...well..." I turned around to see my work. I had done at least a fifth of the entire garden with the entire crew looking at me.

"That was...AWESOME!" I heard someone yell. Before I could respond, I was confronted by a white Earthen mare with a brown mane that bounced with each of her step. She looked at me in awe with brown eyes sparkling and her mouth in a big smile agape.

"Uhh...thanks?" I said, puzzled.

"How did you do that?" She asked in astonishment.

"Oh, I uh..." I didn't know what to say.

Then she gasped really loud. "Wait a minute! You're the Crystalline unicorn Cornflower told me about!"

I looked at Flower Bud with eyes pleading for an explanation. "This is Vanilla Cream."

"Who the hoof is Cornflower?" I asked. She seemed to had told everyone about me.

"I'm the mare who was at the feast this mornin'." I heard a mare say in a typical country accent. "Hiya Flower Bud."

"Hi, Cornflower..." Flower Bud greeted back softly with a shy grin as the mare revealed herself to me with a smile. Cornflower was the earthen yellow mare with a light-brown mane, the very same that was at the feast that Starswirl had credited for making the feast that very morning.

"So YOU'RE the baby dragon Cornflower was talking about!" I turned to Vanilla Cream, who was examining Faith practically from every angle, circling the poor dragon as the mare admired every detail of her shining blue scales. "Just imagine if Shining Star saw you! Or Sapphire, as a matter of fact! Shining Star has always admired the brilliance of Crystallines' sterling coats."

"So that must be why Lightning told me to visit her." I said.

"Probably, but I wouldn't go showin' Faith to Lightning." Cornflower said.

Faith and I looked at each other, puzzled. "What's wrong with Faith?" I asked them.

Cornflower, Flower Bud, and Vanilla Cream all looked at each other nervously. "Let's just say...Lightning has had some...encounters with dragons in the past." Flower Bud said uneasily.

"I guess that's why she acted the way she did around you." I said to Faith.

"What did she do?" Vanilla asked.

"She seemed hesitant, and very cautious. I felt as though she saw me as a monster." Faith said.

"Ah wouldn't worry about it, Faith." Cornflower assured, "she just needs to adjust to you, is all."

"It doesn't matter, I guess."

"So how's Canterlot?" Vanilla asked with a smile. "Are you gonna stay?"

"I'm not sure yet." I said with a nervous smile.

"Oh, Vanilla. Leave the poor mare alone." Cornflower said, amused.

"It's all right, I'm just not so used to so much energy."

"Yep, I'm weird!" Vanilla exclaimed with a wide smile. I couldn't help but laugh at her silliness. "Come on! I'll show you around town, if you want."

"Oh, it's fine. Flower Bud was going to do that." I told her. "Thank you though."

"You go with Vanilla, Sapphire. I'm going to be here for awhile anyway."

"AWESOME!" Vanilla screamed, jumping in the air with excitement. Before I could say anything, she wrapped her hoof around mine and pulled me out of the Royal Gardens with amazing speed. Just as we were about to leave, she stopped. "Oh, wait." She said, then dashed out of sight, then immediately returned with Faith on her back. "Let's go!"

We sped through the castle ballroom, with me struggling to keep up with Vanilla Cream and her quick pace. Faith, who was on Vanilla's back, was thrown up and down while the energetic mare she rode bounced onward. When we were out in the courtyard, Vanilla stopped amidst some Equestrians, and greeted them as though they were the closest friends, while I still trotted as fast as I could just to catch up with her.

When I stopped I was beside the earthen mare, struggling to grasp for air. "Oops, sorry." She said sympathetically. "I'm holding us up." She said when she began bouncing away again. "Bye Dark Chocolate! Bye Sugar Cube!" The dark-brown stallion with a nearly black mane and piece of chocolate cake for a cutie mark nodded and waved farewell while the pink mare with a purple mane and two sugar cubes as a cutie mark did the same. I sighed and began galloping again to keep up with Vanilla. I could tell Faith was entertained by the ride that Vanilla was giving her, seeing her smile as she clung on to the mare's sides.

"Come on slow-poke! This is where I work!" Vanilla Cream exclaimed when she drifted to a stop, sending a dense dust cloud into the air. I tripped over my own hoof as I clambered to keep up with her sending me to the ground and with my hoofs on top of my head as I lied on the ground looking up at Vanilla, who winced as I performed the stunt. "Are you okay?" She asked, picking me back up.

I brushed myself off. "Yeah, thanks."

"Sorry, I should slow down." She said with a laugh and a nervous smile.

"No, you're fine. So this is where you work?" I asked, turning to the building that stood before us. It was a large bakery, with a brick chimney that blew out smoke.

"Yep, welcome to...The Bread Basket!" She said excitedly. I then noticed Vanilla's cutie mark, a cupcake with white frosting on it. As I examined the bakery, the scent of fresh-baked bread hit my nose, and I guess it did Faith's, too, because I heard her stomach growl with hunger.

"I guess I'm hungry." She said, rubbing the back of her neck with an embarrassed laugh.

Vanilla Cream and I looked at each other, both of us trying to fight back laughing ourselves which caused us to have goofy grins on our faces. "Come on, Faith." I offered, "I've got some bits."

"Nope! I've got you guys." Vanilla said joyously as she happily trotted to the bakery's front door. Her mane bounced with each step.

"No, really Vanilla. It's nice of you to offer but I've got it." I said graciously. I trotted through the candy-like doors of The Bread Basket, only to bump into someone else. I rubbed my head as I sat on the ground, looking at whom it was I had bumped into.

"Sorry about tha-oh hey, Sapphire!" I heard Dusk Shine say.

"Dusk Shine?" I asked. We looked at each other and laughed hysterically at both our clumsiness and the coincidence.

"Wow, Sapphire. You're really clumsy today, aren't you?" Faith said, getting off of Vanilla's back. "First Head Start, then over yourself, now Dusk Shine!"

I got up, lending a hoof to Dusk Shine and pulled her up. We rubbed our foreheads where we had ran into each other, trying to subdue the pain. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, how about you?" She asked.

I smiled, then nodded. "Dusk Shine, this is Vanilla Cream." I said, pointing a hoof to Vanilla, who smiled brightly and waved a hoof.

"Hi, nice to meet you." Dusk Shine said politely, walking to Vanilla and outstretching a hoof for her to shake in greetings. Vanilla, however, did not move, but stood where she was in silence, completely lost in amazement as her eyes sparkled in awe.

"Vanilla? Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

She shook herself to her senses. "What? Oh, yeah! I just..."

After waiting a few moments, Dusk Shine, Faith, and I looked at each other in puzzlement. "You just what?" Faith asked.

"Well, I had this dream a few days ago." Vanilla said reluctantly. It was actually the quietest I had heard her speak so far.

"A dream?" Dusk Shine asked.

"Yeah, I thought I recognized Sapphire, but I didn't know where, but now I remember because you were there too! Have you ever had moments where you just remember something, but you don't know from where or when? But everything just clicks all at once."

Dusk Shine and I looked at each other in a concerned manner. Obviously she had the same thoughts as I. The fact that Vanilla had dreamed of us was somewhat...unsettling, albeit only a miniscule detail that would have no other significance whatsoever. However, the more I thought about it afterwords, Lightning had also mentioned that I had seemed familiar, for whatever reason. Though it confused me, I paid no mind to it and simply ignored the matter, returning my thoughts to Vanilla and Dusk Shine.

"Just forget I said anything." Vanilla said.

I was about to say something before the sound of Faith's stomach growling reverberated through the air, catching my attention and reminding me that we still stood before the bakery. I smiled, and looked at the two mares and Faith, "let's go find something to eat, shall we?"


	7. Shining Star

-Chapter VI- Vanilla Cream

-Canterlot, Equestria

-16th of March, 1008 A.D.

-12:04 P.M.

-Sapphire

I walked through the castle's courtyard with Faith still on my back as we both still relentlessly pondered what reason it was White Lightning had acted the way she did. Using my magic to open the door into the castle, I unconsciously made my way through the entryway from the front doors and up the stairs where the ballroom was. I looked to the ground at my hooves as the ground beneath them continuously moved behind me. I was pulled from my thoughts when I accidentally bumped into someone else, sending us both to the ground and Faith tumbling off of my back.

"I'm sorry about that." I heard a deep male voice say apologetically. I winced as I rubbed my head, looking up from the ground to the stallion I had walked into. It was the stallion guard from the day before. He held out a hoof for me to pull myself up, which I took uneasily.

"I-er-uh..." I stammered.

"Hey, I remember you from yesterday." He said.

I felt myself blush. "Yeah, the mare who ran into the pole..."

"I wasn't thinking of that, but yeah, I guess so. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. I really should start looking where I'm going." I said with a laugh. "Faith, are you okay?"

She landed upside-down the way she had fallen, but at a low enough height that she wasn't hurt, and I couldn't help but let a quick giggle escape my lips as she looked helplessly at me, struggling to get back to her feet. I used my magic to lift her in the air and put her right-side up again, then set her back down. She stumbled for a moment. "Yeah, a little dizzy now, but other than that, I'm peachy. Thanks."

"I'm really sorry about that, miss. I'm Head Start, by the way." He said.

"I...I...uh..." I said, not knowing what to say.

"You're Sapphire." Faith said plainly.

"Yeah, that." I said, blushing again.

"It was nice meeting you, Sapphire." He said, beginning to dash the direction which I had just came.

"Head Start..." I whispered beneath my breath to myself. I noticed Faith looking at me with a wide smile. "What?" I asked.

"Aww, somebody's is in love!" Faith said.

I shot her a glance, and she quickly hushed with a slight smile still gracing her lips. "Come on." I said.

"I told you his name was Head Start. Did you not believe me or something?" I did not reply as to change the subject. Luckily Faith must've understood. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"Apparently Princess Celestia is having a garden being built with all sorts of flora and fauna." My words echoed throughout the empty ballroom. "Flower Bud is in charge and I think she wanted to show me around."

I looked expectantly at Faith, who only looked puzzled in return. "Who?"

"She...well, you'll see when we get there." I walked through the door leading outside on the other side of the ballroom, revealing a large, open garden full of bright green plants, most of which, not yet planted into the ground. I trotted alongside Faith through the landscape, admiring the multiple decorations all about. We passed by a large group of stallion Earthen Equestrians hard at work planting the trees and bushes. I scanned the area for Flower Bud, then found her flying about, giving glasses of ice water on a silver tray to some exhausted Earthen mares. When she saw Faith and I she set down the tray on a marble pedestal, said something to a familiar Earthen mare who picked the tray back up and continued to offer the water.

She galloped over to us, flying over a few wheelbarrows filled with soil and landing back onto the ground then slowed to a trot when nearing us. "Oh, hi Sapphire." She looked at Faith still standing beside me, then smiled, "who's this?"

"I'm Faith, Sapphire's messenger dragon. I assume you are Flower Bud?"

She happily nodded. "Come on, I'll show you two around." She said, taking to the air and began leading us about the garden. "Since not much is done yet, this might be a bit quick." She said softly.

I realized something as we browsed through the foliage that was strewn about with no order, which slightly set an ache in my stomach. "Sapphire? What's wrong?" Faith asked.

"Nothing." I assured.

Faith rolled her eyes, "it's your 'obsessive compulsive disorder' again, isn't it?"

"A little." I said, using my magic to pick up a few trees and plant them firmly in the ground. I found myself digging holes in the soil perfectly sized for the plants I had readied for each one, clearing the trail through the foliage of those that were yet to be planted and placing them in rows from tallest to shortest as I progressed. I was so deeply engrossed in the process that I didn't notice Flower Bud and Faith watching me as I did it until seconds after its completion. "Eheh..." I laughed nervously, rubbing the back of my neck out of uneasiness. "Sorry..."

"No, please don't be. That was...well..." I turned around to see my work. I had done at least a fifth of the entire garden with the entire crew looking at me.

"That was...AWESOME!" I heard someone yell. Before I could respond, I was confronted by a white Earthen mare with a brown mane that bounced with each of her step. She looked at me in awe with brown eyes sparkling and her mouth in a big smile agape.

"Uhh...thanks?" I said, puzzled.

"How did you do that?" She asked in astonishment.

"Oh, I uh..." I didn't know what to say.

Then she gasped really loud. "Wait a minute! You're the Crystalline unicorn Cornflower told me about!"

I looked at Flower Bud with eyes pleading for an explanation. "This is Vanilla Cream."

"Who the hoof is Cornflower?" I asked. She seemed to had told everyone about me.

"I'm the mare who was at the feast this mornin'." I heard a mare say in a typical country accent. "Hiya Flower Bud."

"Hi, Cornflower..." Flower Bud greeted back softly with a shy grin as the mare revealed herself to me with a smile. Cornflower was the earthen yellow mare with a light-brown mane, the very same that was at the feast that Star Swirl had credited for making the feast that very morning.

"So YOU'RE the baby dragon Cornflower was talking about!" I turned to Vanilla Cream, who was examining Faith practically from every angle, circling the poor dragon as the mare admired every detail of her shining blue scales. "Just imagine if Shining Star saw you! Or Sapphire, as a matter of fact! Shining Star has always admired the brilliance of Crystallines' sterling coats."

"So that must be why Lightning told me to visit her." I said.

"Probably, but I wouldn't go showin' Faith to Lightning." Cornflower said.

Faith and I looked at each other, puzzled. "What's wrong with Faith?" I asked them.

Cornflower, Flower Bud, and Vanilla Cream all looked at each other nervously. "Let's just say...Lightning has had some...encounters with dragons in the past." Flower Bud said uneasily.

"I guess that's why she acted the way she did around you." I said to Faith.

"What did she do?" Vanilla asked.

"She seemed hesitant, and very cautious. I felt as though she saw me as a monster." Faith said.

"Ah wouldn't worry about it, Faith." Cornflower assured, "she just needs to adjust to you, is all."

"It doesn't matter, I guess."

"So how's Canterlot?" Vanilla asked with a smile. "Are you gonna stay?"

"I'm not sure yet." I said with a nervous smile.

"Oh, Vanilla. Leave the poor mare alone." Cornflower said, amused.

"It's all right, I'm just not so used to so much energy."

"Yep, I'm weird!" Vanilla exclaimed with a wide smile. I couldn't help but laugh at her silliness. "Come on! I'll show you around town, if you want."

"Oh, it's fine. Flower Bud was going to do that." I told her. "Thank you though."

"You go with Vanilla, Sapphire. I'm going to be here for awhile anyway."

"AWESOME!" Vanilla screamed, jumping in the air with excitement. Before I could say anything, she wrapped her hoof around mine and pulled me out of the Royal Gardens with amazing speed. Just as we were about to leave, she stopped. "Oh, wait." She said, then dashed out of sight, then immediately returned with Faith on her back. "Let's go!"

We sped through the castle ballroom, with me struggling to keep up with Vanilla Cream and her quick pace. Faith, who was on Vanilla's back, was thrown up and down while the energetic mare she rode bounced onward. When we were out in the courtyard, Vanilla stopped amidst some Equestrians, and greeted them as though they were the closest friends, while I still trotted as fast as I could just to catch up with her.

When I stopped I was beside the earthen mare, struggling to grasp for air. "Oops, sorry." She said sympathetically. "I'm holding us up." She said when she began bouncing away again. "Bye Dark Chocolate! Bye Sugar Cube!" The dark-brown stallion with a nearly black mane and piece of chocolate cake for a cutie mark nodded and waved farewell while the pink mare with a purple mane and two sugar cubes as a cutie mark did the same. I sighed and began galloping again to keep up with Vanilla. I could tell Faith was entertained by the ride that Vanilla was giving her, seeing her smile as she clung on to the mare's sides.

"Come on slow-poke! This is where I work!" Vanilla Cream exclaimed when she drifted to a stop, sending a dense dust cloud into the air. I tripped over my own hoof as I clambered to keep up with her sending me to the ground and with my hoofs on top of my head as I lied on the ground looking up at Vanilla, who winced as I performed the stunt. "Are you okay?" She asked, picking me back up.

I brushed myself off. "Yeah, thanks."

"Sorry, I should slow down." She said with a laugh and a nervous smile.

"No, you're fine. So this is where you work?" I asked, turning to the building that stood before us. It was a large bakery, with a brick chimney that blew out smoke.

"Yep, welcome to...The Bread Basket!" She said excitedly. I then noticed Vanilla's cutie mark, a cupcake with white frosting on it. As I examined the bakery, the scent of fresh-baked bread hit my nose, and I guess it did Faith's, too, because I heard her stomach growl with hunger.

"I guess I'm hungry." She said, rubbing the back of her neck with an embarrassed laugh.

Vanilla Cream and I looked at each other, both of us trying to fight back laughing ourselves which caused us to have goofy grins on our faces. "Come on, Faith." I offered, "I've got some bits."

"Nope! I've got you guys." Vanilla said joyously as she happily trotted to the bakery's front door. Her mane bounced with each step.

"No, really Vanilla. It's nice of you to offer but I've got it." I said graciously. I trotted through the candy-like doors of The Bread Basket, only to bump into someone else. I rubbed my head as I sat on the ground, looking at whom it was I had bumped into.

"Sorry about tha-oh hey, Sapphire!" I heard Dusk Shine say.

"Dusk Shine?" I asked. We looked at each other and laughed hysterically at both our clumsiness and the coincidence.

"Wow, Sapphire. You're really clumsy today, aren't you?" Faith said, getting off of Vanilla's back. "First Head Start, then over yourself, now Dusk Shine!"

I got up, lending a hoof to Dusk Shine and pulled her up. We rubbed our foreheads where we had ran into each other, trying to subdue the pain. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, how about you?" She asked.

I smiled, then nodded. "Dusk Shine, this is Vanilla Cream." I said, pointing a hoof to Vanilla, who smiled brightly and waved a hoof.

"Hi, nice to meet you." Dusk Shine said politely, walking to Vanilla and outstretching a hoof for her to shake in greetings. Vanilla, however, did not move, but stood where she was in silence, completely lost in amazement as her eyes sparkled in awe.

"Vanilla? Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

She shook herself to her senses. "What? Oh, yeah! I just..."

After waiting a few moments, Dusk Shine, Faith, and I looked at each other in puzzlement. "You just what?" Faith asked.

"Well, I had this dream a few days ago." Vanilla said reluctantly. It was actually the quietest I had heard her speak so far.

"A dream?" Dusk Shine asked.

"Yeah, I thought I recognized Sapphire, but I didn't know where, but now I remember because you were there too! Have you ever had moments where you just remember something, but you don't know from where or when? But everything just clicks all at once."

Dusk Shine and I looked at each other in a concerned manner. Obviously she had the same thoughts as I. The fact that Vanilla had dreamed of us was somewhat...unsettling, albeit only a miniscule detail that would have no other significance whatsoever. However, the more I thought about it afterwords, Lightning had also mentioned that I had seemed familiar, for whatever reason. Though it confused me, I paid no mind to it and simply ignored the matter, returning my thoughts to Vanilla and Dusk Shine.

"Just forget I said anything." Vanilla said.

I was about to say something before the sound of Faith's stomach growling reverberated through the air, catching my attention and reminding me that we still stood before the bakery. I smiled, and looked at the two mares and Faith, "let's go find something to eat, shall we?"


	8. Cornflower

-Chapter VIII- Cornflower

-Canterlot, Equestria

-16th of March, 1008 A.D.

-2:30 P.M.

-Sapphire

"I love how long this day has been! It's been about five chapters and it's _still_ in the afternoon!" Vanilla said happily.

"Nilly, what're you talking about?" Star asked her with an amused sigh.

She laughed for a moment, then, after catching her breath, simply said, "Nothing." with a smile.

"So who is this Cornflower?" Dusk Shine asked me.

"She was the mare who had prepared this morn's breakfast." I told her.

"Oh yes, the yellow mare with the golden-brown mane. She seemed nice."

"She is the sort of dear who is always there for you when in need. Her, her elder brother, and her younger sister all live here in Canterlot, though their farm is now being ran by her aunt and uncle near Vanhoover." Star explained.

Dusk Shine offered a confused expression. "If the farm is near Vanhoover then why is her and her siblings here in Canterlot?"

"Because I would rather be here in Canterlot with the princess instead of that dump of a city Manehattan that they wanted to throw us in." I heard. Cornflower came from behind one of the shops near the Bread Basket.

"Manehattan? Why did they want to put you in Manehattan?" Faith asked.

She looked down sadly. "I wouldn't worry about it, sugar cube, it's a long story that I'd rather not bore you with such details..."

"But I-" I started, but was quickly stopped by the touch of Shining's hoof and the shake of her head. I let the subject go.

"Well it's nice meeting you, Cornflower." Dusk Shine said.

"It's nice meetin' you too." She returned with a smile, then turned to Nilly, "where's Flower Bud and Lightning?"

"Um..." Nilly mumbled quietly. I saw her gesture to Faith, and Cornflower nodded in understanding.

_I'm so confused right now..._ I thought.

"Well, it doesn't matter." Cornflower assured, followed by Nilly and Shining agreeing.

"Cornflower, we were just looking for you, would you like to join us?"

"Where were we going?" Nilly asked in a loud whisper to Dusk Shine, who only nodded.

"I would, but I've got to go." Cornflower said, "I was on my way back to the farm."

"Isn't your farm near Vanhoover?" Dusk Shine asked.

"The main farm, but me an' my family have a little farm of our own here in Canterlot."

"How does that work?" Faith asked from on my back curiously.

"It's probably still on the land, just not too big as to cover a large amount of it." I said.

"Exactly. It's a little'n, but we're still more than happy that the great Queen Celestia was willing to give us the land."

"_Queen?_" Faith asked.

"Some Equestrians consider Celestia the queen of Equestria, seeing as how there is no generation higher than her alive in the royal family." I explained.

"Hey, why don't all y'all come with me to the homestead? I'd be happy to show ya 'round." Cornflower told Dusk Shine, Faith, and I as she turned to leave.

"I'd love to!" Dusk Shine exclaimed, swiftly quickening her pace to catch up with Cornflower.

Shining Star and Vanilla Cream looked at me dumbfounded, to which, I simply told them "She's never been any where other than the Crystal Empire until recent."

Shining Star wordlessly smiled at this, while Vanilla's eyes became wide, and she let out a loud "oooooooohhhhhhhhh."

"Cornflower!" I heard. I turned to from whence the voice came, finding myself watching a very young filly no older than seven or eight galloping towards Cornflower. She bore a strikingly similar appearance to the mare that I could only assume was her elder sister, they even shared their bright-green eyes. However, instead of displaying Cornflower's two corn cobs for a cutie mark, the filly did not have yet her own cutie mark. This must've been Cornflower's little sister.

"Kernel! What do ya think yer doin' out here without Stalk?" Cornflower responded sternly, lowering her head for the little one to clamber onto and, once on top of her head, Cornflower raised her head so that Kernel slid down her neck and relaxed on her back.

"He's here with me, Cornflower. Ain't ya, Stalk?" Kernel called.

"Eeyup." A deep voice called back.

"He's such a slowpoke, ain't he sis?"

Cornflower laugh quietly to herself, then look back at Kernel. "Eeeeyup!" She said, then broke out laughing with her sister. She caught herself when she saw us still standing there, then cleared her throat. "Sapphire, Faith, Dusk Shine, this is my sister Corn Kernel." She introduced.

"Hi!" The youth greeted excitedly.

"And this..." Cornflower paused, waiting for their older brother to come into view. Once he did, she continued, "is our older brother Corn Stalk." She said pointing a hoof to him as he nodded in greeting. He, too looked awfully similar to his pair of sisters, except for, obviously, being a stallion and his cutie mark being a corn cob. They looked like the perfect set of three, and they couldn't deny their relation if they wanted to. "So what're y'all doin' here?"

"Thought ya might like to know that the Apples are back again." Kernel told her sister.

"I'm not too surprised, seein' as how it's mid-March. They've probably got a bountiful harvest, right?"

"Eeeeyup." Stalk confirmed.

Cornflower turned to Dusk Shine and I, who had been standing next to each other, and explained, "The Maze Family has had something of a rivalry with the Apple Family for the past few generations."

"But they're from Appleloosa, so really they only come here to Canterlot every so often. Usually around the Spring." Kernel added.

"Eeeeyup." Stalk agreed again. I realized then just how familiar he looked.

"I'm sorry, have I seen you somewhere before?" I asked. He looked at me, puzzled, looking me over as if he, too, was having difficulty placing me.

"Stalk can be a stallion of few words around new Equestrians, so don't be surprised when he doesn't say very much to you at first. He's still a bit shy around me sometimes." Shining whispered to me.

"I see." I whispered back. "Thank you for letting me know." I pondered where it could've been I had seen the stallion before, knowing that I had to have, especially since he even agreed that we had seen each other before. Then it hit me. _Of course! The stallion waiting at the train station! _"Um..." I started.

I managed to catch the attention of both Corn Stalk and Cornflower. "What's the matter, Sapphire?" Cornflower asked.

"I was just curious..." I said, "Corn Stalk, I saw you at the train station yesterday, yes?"

He looked around with a confused expression for a moment or two, before displaying a face of realization, now remembering the temporary encounter. "Eeyup."

"What was with the bits you were carrying?" Dusk Shine asked out of nowhere. I looked at her, and she looked back and shrugged. "I was curious too, you know."

Corn Stalk began to speak before he was stopped by Cornflower, "I wouldn't worry about it, sugar cubes. We just had a debt to pay back, is all."

"Oh...okay." Faith said. "I thought something else was going on." she whispered to me. I gave a quick nod in agreement.

"Right. How about we get something to eat?" Vanilla offered. An offer which, despite her exhausted behavior, Faith seemed to perk up automatically.

"I might be able to fix y'all somethin' if ya like." Cornflower offered in turn. "Do ya like corn bread?"

"Yes, please!" Nilly accepted joyously, hopping onwards down the winding path. It wasn't long before we began to see a considerable size of land flat, despite the numerous buildings and hills that were strewn about.

"Welcome," said Corn Kernel, "to the Maze Family Homestead, Canterlot branch."

"Corn Stalk, do ya mind takin' Kernel back to the barn so she can do her chores while I show Sapphire, Dusk Shine, and Faith around?"

"Eeeyup."

"What about-"

"Then we can get some corn bread, Nilly." Cornflower said with a smile, stopping her in the air where she jumped as she was about to ask her question.

"Oh, okay." she said, landing back down on her hooves and continuing as though nothing had happened, leaving Dusk Shine and I to stare at each other in confusion as to how the Earthen Equestrian could've stayed in the air.

"She's weird." Faith said.

"Hush..." I said quietly, then proceeded to follow Cornflower to her family's homestead.


	9. Sapphire

-Chapter IX- Sapphire

-Canterlot, Equestria

-16th of March, 1008 A.D.

-4:00 P. M.

-Head Start

"All right...so now that I've talked to Shining Star, all I need to do is..." After taking a few seconds to count the things left for him to do, it came to realization that he was done. He laughed, "nothing! And I've still got some time until I'm back on guard duty." he said with an enthusiastic smile. He spread his wings and flew upward to fly home, soaring over housetops, through the brick paths to where his own house stood. He landed at the doorstep, folding his wings again, and walked inside. His house at first looked strange, seeming to be darker than the outside, but when his vision adjusted from the harsher light of the sun to the easier casting of sunlight filtering in from the windows, the rooms of his house appeared bright again.

He walked through the entryway and turned sharply to the kitchen, where the buns from the Bread Basket still sat at the table. Picking them up by the bag they were sealed within with his teeth, he placed them neatly into the pantry, and exited the kitchen. He stood where he was and stopped, looking at the simple living room with the cushion-seats placed in two rows facing each other with a low table in between. It was then that it hit him that he had nothing to do.

"Well..." he said quietly, "darn." Then a knock came at the door. Wondering who it could be, he trotted towards the door, quicker than how he usually would out of curiosity. "Yes?" he called. When he opened the door, it was unexpectedly White Lightning, with her wings bandaged up, forcing them to stay in their folded up position, who met him. "Lightning?"

"Hey...Head Start." she said uneasily.

"What's the matter? Did something happen to my uncle?"

"No! No, nothing like that." she said quickly, banishing the thought of something happening to his uncle and her legal guardian.

"Then what is the matter?"

"There is...a dragon, here in Canterlot."

"A dragon?" Alarm shot through him.

"It's a baby dragon. A baby messenger dragon."

"Oh, yes, the little blue one with...Sapphire, I think?"

"Yes, I believe her name is Faith."

"What about her?"

"I was just wondering...if you could..."

"Make sure she doesn't happen to cross paths with you?" She nodded. "Lightning, you're going to have to rid yourself of this fear of dragons eventually, you know."

"I know, but I can't help it."

He heavily sighed. "All right, if I must. However, have you met Sapphire?"

"Yes, why?"

"I am only curious." She gave him a stare of suspicion. "Is she nice?"

"She seemed nice to me."

"Then what makes you think the dragon might not be?" She retorted by offering a stern look. "All right, fine. Go along your way, and I will be careful to not let Faith and you cross paths, until I am on duty, that is."

Lightning lowered her head in appreciation. "Thank you, Head Start."

She began to turn around and take her leave when Head Start stopped her, "Wait." he said, "What happened to your wings?"

"I wouldn't worry about it." she said in her usual independent way. He rolled his eyes and followed with a smile, and exited his home as she galloped off into mid-afternoon day.

"All right, it looks as though I have something to do after all." he laughed lightly to himself. "Well, at least I've got something, and it beats staying indoors with no task at all." He again spread his wings to search for the blue baby messenger dragon, as well as the unicorn Crystalline with matching colours, and sent a gust of air straight to the ground as he took off, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. When he was well above Canterlot, he could see all the buildings beneath him, with every Equestrian that resided within them similar to the size of ants, with the only thing still towering above him the royal castle, where Queen Celestia Herself resided.

It didn't take long to find the Equestrian and dragon he searched for, seeing as how they were together in a group of four other mares: the middle child of the siblings that ran the Maze Family farm in Canterlot, the bakers' daughter, who had just sold him some goods not long ago, a second Crystalline, and Shining Star, the only one of the group who he really knew somewhat personally, and whom he had just talked to about his sister's mane salon appointment not long after the stop by the bakery. When he saw them he began to descend, anxious to meet the outsider again, yet still considerably nervous about another encounter. When he landed, he was recognized instantly.

"Oh, Head Start! There you are, darling!" Shining Star called. He nervously waved a hoof in return. "I had some questions about your sister's appointment..." He stopped her from speaking with a quick glance, and she understood automatically. She slowly walked away from the throng that surrounded her and approached him silently. "Lightning, I take it?"

"Yes ma'am." he confirmed.

She sighed. "She likes to appear so independent, but when it gets down to it..."

"I know, but I can't just leave her like that, she'll never know what to do or think. She'll be in a frenzy thinking that a dragon is after her."

"But she's just a baby."

"Try telling Lightning that." he said, walking toward the small group. "Hello, Vanilla, Cornflower..." he said, nodding to them as he said their names and stopping at the second Crystalline, who stood next to Sapphire and setting pink sparkles on the ground from the sunlight that shone through her, motioning to ask her her name.

"Dusk Shine." she said with a smile, then gave a quick glance to Sapphire, who returned it somewhat angrily.

"Dusk Shine." he repeated, "Faith, I believe?" The young dragon nodded. "And Sapphire." The blue Crystalline offered a nervous smile, and began blushing at the cheeks.

"Hello, Head Start." Faith said.

"How do you do?" he replied.

"I'm doing grand, and you?"

"Very good myself, thank you for asking."

"So, Head Start, did White Light-" Vanilla was stopped mid-sentence by Cornflower, who nudged her in the side.

"Yes, yes she did." Head Start quickly responded.

"Did what?" Dusk Shine asked.

He offered a small smile, and shook his head. "Nothing." He began to move in the direction the group was originally headed, and stopped as he waited for the others to join him. When they did, he slowed his pace so that he was joined by Sapphire and Faith. "Hi." he said simply, beginning to move at a constant speed again.

"H...hi." she stuttered quietly, using her magic to remove a strand of hair that hung in front of her face. "So, what're you doing?"

"Oh, isn't obvious, Sapphire?" Faith giggled.

"Okay, time's up." The Crystalline said, using her magic to remove the baby dragon off of her back, where she had been riding the entire time.

"And now I'm walking."

He couldn't help but smile, trying to suppress a laugh. "So, what's your story?" he asked Sapphire.

"I'm sorry?" Sapphire said.

"Obviously you haven't been here in Canterlot for long. What's a Crystalline Equestrian doing here?"

She offered a soft smile. "Recently Princess Celestia and Starswirl wanted me to stay here from now on. I'm not sure why, but I still haven't decided whether I am or not."

"From what I've seen already, I can say for certain that you've made quite an impression on Canterlot already."

"So we've heard." Faith commented.

"I'm just...waiting for my heart to tell me what to do." Sapphire said.

"I always like to listen for my stomach!" Vanilla gleefully exclaimed, bouncing past them. "Hi Reader!"

"I'd...just ignore her. She's just silly-filly sometimes." Cornflower whispered, walking past Sapphire and Faith.

"But what does she mean by 'Reader'?" Faith asked curiously.

"She...I don't know." Cornflower responded before speeding up to catch up to Vanilla.

"And what about you, Faith?" Head Start asked.

"Me?" she asked.

"Yeah, how do you know Sapphire?"

"I've known her since forever. She hatched me."

"Really?" he asked with a confused expression.

"That's how I got into Celestia's School of Magic. The enrollment test is to hatch a baby dragon's egg." Sapphire told him.

"And they keep their dragons afterward?"

"Not all do apparently, but I didn't want to leave the Crystal Empire so I needed a way of communication to Princess Celestia."

"Oh, so you're a messenger dragon then?"

"Eeyup." she confirmed with a laugh. "And later Celestia sent Starswirl to teach her when she was still at the Empire. We came to visit Canterlot every weekend, but when we weren't here..."

"...It was Starswirl that taught me what he knew about magic."

"Fascinating story, little mare." they heard. Head Start turned to see another stallion come toward them. He had a stance that showed pride, and acted as though he were looking down upon them. "If only it meant something."

"What do you mean 'if only it meant something'?" Faith asked angrily.

"Who are you, if I may ask?" Head Start asked.

"I am known by many names, all over the kingdoms. The great, the powerful, the champion...you, however, may have the pleasure of calling me by my true name, Rocket Science."

"Rocket Science?" Sapphire asked.

"Yes, Sapphire."

She gave a confused expression, examining him. "Do I know you?"

"Unfortunately for you, no. However, I know you, little Crystalline." He trotted towards her, circling her as he looked her over, seeming to notice every detail of her crystal-textured body. "Princess Celestia's protege, supposedly trained in the most advanced of spells."

"Um...not at all, actually..." she said uneasily.

"Ha! Come on, Sapphire, show this stuck up jerk what you can do!" Faith yelled angrily.

The mysterious stallion look surprised at the young dragon. "Stuck up? Someone who is 'stuck up' is someone who acts as though they are above everyone else in their presence, you little reptilian pest. I do not _act_, but _am_."

"_PEST?!_" she jumped at him, stopped mid-air by Sapphire's magic. "Let me at him! I'll knock _his majesty's_ teeth out!"

"I'm sorry, you must have me mistaken by some other protege of the Princess...who's name just happened to also be Sapphire..." she offered.

"I do not believe so, mainly because I am never wrong. You are surely the one. I only assumed..."

"That I was older?"

"No, that you'd appear more of a challenge."

"Excuse me?"

"What I imagined was an opponent worthy of Magic Duel against me. What I see is a pathetic excuse of a unicorn, who claims to know the simplest of spell castings, something that I hardly believe."

"Hey, leave her alone!" Head Start objected.

He quickly scanned the stallion, and let out a quick laugh that caused a smile to cross his lips. "Pegasi...always so headstrong, believing they can overcome anything that stands in their way with pure muscle and might. You are just as simpleminded as every other pegasus I've ever met through my travels, never to understand one simple fact: mind always conquers matter."

Now it was Sapphire's turn to intrude. "Well, I'm sorry you think that, but-"

"_You_, however, are not worth my time, either." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I can only imagine how much of a disgrace you are."

"What?" Sapphire asked, a scowl beginning to form upon her lips. Faith, however, began to look worried as she still hung in Sapphire's aura.

"Your parents must be so disappointed in you...spending what is probably all the money they ever had all on a lost cause, practically impossible to succeed. Or, perhaps, the payment of sending you to Celestia's School of Magic was simply a small price to pay compared to their large wealth? That'd probably make more sense, seeing as how you still stayed in the Crystal Empire, despite Celestia still in Canterlot. Starswirl was paid extra to come to the Empire in order to teach you, yes? It really doesn't matter...either way it's still very ironic, Princess Celestia's and Starswirl's teachings of magic wasted on the pathetic lifeform I see before me."

Sapphire, still standing before Rocket Science as he continued his accusations, began to shake with rage, lowering her face and hiding it behind her glistening blue mane. "You know nothing."

"I know nearly everything. And what I don't know, I assume, and my assumptions have never failed me before."

Cornflower trotted toward the two to intervene. "Well, y'all know what they say about assuming..." she said with an uneasy smile. "It makes an-"

"_Quiet you! _I have had enough of you." Rocket Science then used his yellow aura to push away the others, including Head Start. His head bounced off the cobblestone path as he landed with a _thud_, putting him in a daze. "Your parents should be ashamed of raising such a useless daughter. For the effort of their loins shall never bear fruit, if that is what I see here on this day. Your friends must be more pathetic than you!" he began to laugh again, "prepare to be beat-"

"-_You know nothing!_" Sapphire yelled in rage, dropping Faith. "You may say whatever it is you wish about me, but not my friends, and most certainly not my parents!" She let out a force from her horn that threw Rocket Science away. He rubbed his head with his hoof as he picked himself up again, and began to cast a spell at Sapphire until stopped by a spell that struck him with a blunt force, knocking him back down again. Without getting back up again, he shot a beam at Sapphire, which struck her on the cheek, only worsening her rage. Her eyes began to glow white as she lifted Rocket Science in the air, which at first pushed away with another spell that forced the magic away from him, but again consumed his body. His horn began to do something else, but it was also quickly subdued by Sapphire's magic as she focused it around his horn so that he was powerless.

Fear struck him as he was thrown high into the air, at the mercy of the breeze and flailing about, trying to find something to grab to or stop him from his descent. He screamed for help as he neared the impact of the ground, but abruptly was stopped not an inch from his fate. His eyes were wide and his breathing heavy as he stared at was almost his end, and sighed, and screamed again in fear as he was forcefully thrown into a tree about 100 feet away, knocking a plethora of leaves from their perches that were the branches of the flora, which Flower Bud just happened to be tending to. She jumped back in fear as the unicorn fell from the trunk where he had struck the tree and to the ground in front of her.

Head Start began to get his bearings as he lifted himself from where he had been lying the entirety of the magical scuffle. His mind felt like it had been scrambled, and his mind focused on the first thing he called for. "Sapphire?" Her eyes gradually returned to normal as the supernatural glow began to fade and her anger diminish, replaced with exhaustion. Her front left knee buckled and she collapsed to the ground. The other mares that were following along with Sapphire before were now lost in confusion, now wondering who exactly their friend was, other than Dusk Shine, who, with Faith, quickly ran to Sapphire who lied on the dust and dirt-covered brick roads.

"Sapphire!" they cried simultaneously.

She seemed weak as she struggled to get to her hooves again, heaving and coughing, then looking about in sleepy confusion. "What...happened...?" She looked over to where Rocket Science was limp still and Flower Bud watching in fear and shock.

"Well..." Dusk Shine said "...you fought him in Magic Duel. I think you may have won. Permanently."

Fear took Sapphire upon hearing Dusk Shine's words. "What?" she asked in fearful concern.


	10. The Power Keeper

-Chapter X- The Power Keeper

-Canterlot, Equestria

-16th of March, 1008 A.D.

-4:46 P.M.

-Sapphire

I looked about frantically, my heart in a frenzy at the news that I may have just killed some random stallion that probably wasn't even worth my time at all. I looked over Dusk Shine's shoulder as she helped me up from the ground to see a body lying on the ground before poor Flower Bud. I couldn't see any details of her expression, nor anything else because my vision was unfocused, and I was still considerably dazed from the incident that I still didn't know what had happened. Obviously the limp body on the ground was Rocket Science, I could tell from the yellow that made up the colour of his body and the red that was his mane. I staggered as I struggled to get back to my hooves, and nearly fell back down, but withstood the spinning world and again gained control of my senses.

I drew a heavy breath as I clumsily made my way to Rocket Science, all the while Flower Bud fearfully backing away from us. I gently tapped him on the shoulder with my hoof, hoping, rather than expecting, for a response. After a moment of silence and my heart practically forcing me to stop breathing, he grunted and moaned. I let out the building up air in my lungs. I looked up at Flower Bud, "What...what happened...?" I asked with honest concern. She looked about frantically and stopped at me without word, her eyes filled with an endless sea of fear.

"That...that was..." Faith said quietly. I quickly turned to her.

"What happened?"

"I haven't..." Faith started.

"It was the Keeper's Spirit, according to lore." Starswirl said as he quietly trotted towards us in his usual slow gait.

"The what?"

"The Keeper's Spirit." Celestia repeated sternly as she flew in overhead, landing gracefully on the ground. She had a different feeling about her, she wasn't her calm, collected self, she was...angry.

"I'll tend to the stallion." Starswirl said when he saw Rocket Science behind me. Then I was met by Celestia, angrily looming over me.

"Princess Celestia I...I don't-"

"Sapphire, I thought you would be able to stay here in Canterlot without trouble, but I see now that I was wrong. I don't know what this stallion may have done to you to force your hoof in such a way as this, but I am sure that _this_..." she waved a hoof in the air, indicating the scene, "was more than uncalled for. When I am up in my tower the last thing I wish to see is _my_ protege behaving in this way."

I began to feel tears welling up in my eyes as she continued to look down on me. Despite my quivering lips and the sadness beginning to make my words sound choked up, I desperately tried to defend myself, or at least apologize for what had happened. "Princess, I-"

"I thought you would be grown enough and matured enough to at least contain the Keeper's Spirit. I see now that I was wrong on that account as well." She shook her head in disappointment. "Perhaps it'd be for the best if you did stay in the Crystal Empire after all." She began to turn away.

"For now he is unconscious, but I'm unable to tell if he is concussed." Starswirl called to Celestia from behind me. I lowered my head in shame, attempting to hide my tears.

Dusk Shine now tried to defend me, "Princess Celestia it wasn't her fault, he-"

"I want nothing of it, Dusk Shine. You and Faith accompany Sapphire back to the castle. I now have to care for this stallion here." Celestia demanded. She trotted over to Rocket Science, then quietly whispered to Starswirl something that was nearly, yet not quite, inaudible, "I was almost positive that she would be ready."

"Do you think her interest in magic may have had something to do with it?" Starswirl whispered back.

I didn't even care to wait for them, I was already off. Away from them, away from Head Start, away from Rocket Science, and most importantly, away from Celestia. I wasn't fazed by the clouding of my vision as tears continued to run down my face, then blown away by the wind. I ran as fast as I could without attracting too much attention from the residents of Canterlot as they went about their business. _They think I only showed interest in magic as a weapon?_ I thought. It was that day, the very same day I had met my friends, that I realized that I was not normal. I didn't know what I was. _A monster? A weapon? …A demon?_

I burst through the doors into the castle's main hall, sped up the stairs and into the torchlit halls, passing Princess Luna, who wore a concerned expression. "Sapphire...?" she called as I continued to gallop, disappearing around the corner.

I ran into my room and leaped into my bed, shutting the door with my magic as I silently held my pillow to my face, hiding it from the world, and hiding the world from it. I knew not how long I held that position, pondering why or how I had acted as violently as I did, until my mind was practically lost within an entirely new world of its own. I must've cried myself to sleep, because I remember eventually being without thought and abruptly being brought back into realization with Celestia's voice softly saying my name. I only continued to hold the position with my face buried away from her in shame, not wanting to even be acknowledged by my own name in fear of disgracing that, too.

"Sapphire, please..." she said in such a way I hadn't heard in what felt like a lifetime.

"I'm sorry." I said, removing the pillow from my mouth so that it wasn't muffled. "I don't know what happened...I just..."

"It's all right, Sapphire." I heard her hoofsteps come closer to where I was, and the light touch of her hoof. I could tell she wasn't wearing her hoof covers of gold again. She hated those, she hated how they made her seem above the other Equestrians. A symbol of rule. She drew a heavy sigh, "Head Start told me what happened. Everything." I began crying again, this time because of the memories his words forced back. "And I was of no help. I just...I just thought that you had attacked some random stranger who just happened to be there." She laughed lightly beneath her breath. "Although I don't typically promote violence, I must say he almost deserved the punishment you gave him."

The tears and sobbing ceased, and I unsteadily began to breathe again, and laughed between breaths. "I just don't know what happened...one moment I was fine and then...something took hold of me..."

"This is the Keeper's Spirit." she said quietly.

"Does every Equestrian have this?" I asked, lifting my head from the pillow.

"No. Only you. This is the ability of the Power Keeper."

"Power Keeper?" I asked.

She smiled, then nodded. "The Power Keeper, according to lore, is a being of light, and a symbol of hope for the world, doing countless things throughout history that has shaped the world into what it is today."

"You mean..._all_ the kingdoms?" She nodded as I sat up. "Why me?"

"Isn't that always the question?" she replied with a smile. She lifted me from the bed and set me back down on the floor. "Come with me." she said simply, and led me out of the room. Where she led me, wasn't even the greatest part. When she stopped, she pointed up to a hatch in the ceiling, which I opened. Light shone upon me from the setting sun as I climbed up the set of stairs that led to the very top of the castle, giving me a vantage point of all of Equestria, it seemed. There was a telescope before me, looking across the yellow sky into infinity, and the wind whipped and whirled about, drying my tear-stained eyes as all was laid out in my view, with a single place.

"This is amazing..." I said, much more than awestricken. "What is this?"

"This is where I guard the day." Celestia said. "Your responsibility, however, far extends from mine." She followed me up the stairs to join me on her perch. "I may guard the time of the sun, but you watch over the light itself."

"The Power Keeper..." I blankly repeated to myself again as I watched the sunset once again. I blinked once or twice, again gaining a sense of reality and examined the city beneath me. It wasn't long before I saw Cornflower's farm, and the Bread Basket, and Shining Star's mane salon. It was that moment when clarity struck, and I knew my destiny. I was to be in Canterlot after all. I peered down over the city that I now would begin to call "home", looking over the layout that I had found maze-like not too long before, and, to my surprise, finding Dusk Shine, Flower Bud, White Lightning, Vanilla Cream, Cornflower, Shining Star...and Head Start. However, Faith was nowhere to be found.

"She's in the Throne Room with Luna." Celestia said. I turned to her. "Waiting for you." I smiled at her she at me, and we walked back down from the post together, and went back down to regroup with Faith.

"You really mean it? We're staying?" Faith asked enthusiastically when Celestia and I made it back.

"Yes, and from what it looks like to me, this will be a completely new chapter in our lives." I looked at Celestia, and then at Luna, who both shared in my happiness. I left the room to join the others outside, awaiting me patiently, and when the doors opened before me, I was met by them, and I gladly trotted to them with Faith beside me, just as happy as I was to tell them all my choice. They were all informed of my case, save for me being the Power Keeper, and all agreed with Celestia that Rocket Science did deserve his punishment, which also gained me Lightning's respect, apparently. I now saw clearly what my life was going to be from that point on, and I knew this was quite possibly the most important decision of my entire life...and I had made the right decision.


	11. Lessons To Be Learned

-Chapter XI- Lessons To Be Learned

-Canterlot, Equestria

-23rd of March, 1008 A.D.

-6:30 A.M.

-Sapphire

I awoke considerably groggy, compared to how I usually wake up in the morning. I heard Celestia trot past my door in her glass slippers of gold, the very same that she despised so, as they thudded against the carpet. She always made such an effort to be quiet every time I was in Canterlot, especially now that I was going to be there permanently, she tried all the harder to be as silent as she could, despite the fact that it was soon after her raising of the sun that was when our lesson took place. I did my best to rub as much sleep from my eyes with my hoof, and opened the door to my room with my magic. It was an effort, but I did succeed in staying awake as I unconsciously walked through the long halls, believing to make my way to where the kitchen was.

I found myself confused, yet again, when I was, yet again, lost in the seemingly endless labyrinth of corridors. I fully awoke when it fully came into realization that I didn't know where exactly I was. I grunted irritably, and used my magic to teleport me back to my room. This was a trick I learnt shortly after my moving in to the castle, using my magic to teleport me back to a certain location using a specific aura, and tethering it to a certain object. I decided to use my bed, figuring it was the biggest object in the room that would most likely stay there. Otherwise, if I used a smaller object, it would instead come to me.

I once more left the room, ready to attempt finding my way a second time to the throne room, which was practically next door to where the kitchen was. "All right..." I said quietly to myself. "Was it...this way?" I asked aloud, following the direction I chose. I followed the red carpet lying on the floor, perfectly centered (something I made sure of the second night there), and watched as the torch sconces continued, turns came into view, and eventually finding myself walking up to Princess Luna's room. Usually when Princess Celestia raised the sun, Princess Luna would take yet another short nap before being up for the rest of the day, and into the night until finally getting some rest around four in the morning.

How she always did it was beyond me, although that was just one trait that I envied of my friend. I turned around, hoping to find Luna or Celestia as I continued to move, not completely sure of the correct direction, although I knew I was somewhere near my destination because the throne room was near the Royal Sisters' rooms. Instead of finding one of the sisters, however, I did accidentally come across one of Princess Celestia's royal guards, who, upon seeing me, seemed delighted that his job was much easier this morning.

"Sapphire..." he sighed. "Could you please stay in your room until I come to pick you up? At least until you are able to figure out the way to the Throne Room?"

"I suppose so." I offered an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry."

He sighed, "it's fine, just please await my escort, all right?"

I nodded, "sounds fair. At least until I find my way around here."

"Good morn to you, Sapphire." Princess Celestia greeted.

"Good morn to you as well, teacher. What will be the subject of today's lesson?" I asked as I trotted down the throne room.

"Today we will attempt a 'double-jump'".

I gave her a look of confusion, "a double-jump?"

"The objective is to jump, and then jump again in midair." Starswirl said as he walked past where I stood and joined Princess Celestia at her side.

"Is this challenging?"

"It's much easier than it sounds." said Celestia, "and after we are through with this..." she trailed off. I looked at her with a look of puzzlement, "I want you to go with your friends." she said with a soft smile.

I returned the smile, and bowed my head as I agreed. "Yes, Princess."

"All right, let's begin, shall we?" Starswirl asked.

It really wasn't as challenging as it had seemed, overall it was nothing more than creating a small, well-timed surface with my magic for me to force myself upwards even further whilst already in the air. The challenging portion of this was really focusing on _where_ I would have to create this invisible platform and _when_. Other than that, it was easier than most lessons. It didn't take much more than an hour or two, and as soon as we were complete, I was practically halfway through the door when Princess Celestia granted me permission to leave. With a "thank you, Princess!" I was already off.

Dusk Shine met me by the front gate of the castle with Faith on her back and gnawing on an emerald. "Hey, that didn't take long." the pink Crystalline said.

"Nowhere near as long as it took for us to find our way out of there." Faith added.

"Yeah, it's very confusing." I told them, "I just wish we didn't have to rely on those escorts."

"At least they sent one for you." Faith retorted.

"Well, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna probably _did_ send you one, but, knowing you, you probably slept through his wake-up call." I said with a giggle.

"They did send me one but I turned him down thinking that I knew my way around...I didn't." Dusk Shine said with a laugh.

Faith looked up from her emerald to see something behind me, which she wordlessly stared at with a smile. "What?" I asked her.

"Hi Head Start!" Faith greeted.

"Haha, very funny." I sarcastically said.

"What is?" I jumped as Head Start walked up behind me. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." he said with a genuinely apologetic expression.

"It's all right." I said with an uneasy laugh, "I just wasn't expecting you is all."

He smiled at me, then turned back to Faith, "hey Faith."

She nodded in greetings, "How are you?"

"Not bad, I'm on duty in 20 minutes, so I've got to hurry." he nodded in farewell, "Dusk Shine, Faith," he turned to me, hesitated for a moment, "Sapphire." he said with a smile before hurrying off again.

I watched him as he left, a strange feeling settling in through my heart. "Sapphire?" I shot back to reality to see Dusk Shine with a smile, "are you all right?"

"You really like him, don't you?" Faith asked.

I wordlessly looked at both of them, and smiled. "Nilly asked if I could help her out today after I was done with my lesson to bake muffins, are you two joining me?" I asked.

Faith and Dusk Shine exchanged glances before agreeing. "All right, but we're still going to talk later about this whole Head Start thing." Dusk Shine said.


	12. House Hunters

-Chapter XII- House Hunters

-Canterlot, Equestria

-23rd of March, 1008 A.D.

-9:15 A.M.

-Sapphire

"Why don't you just find a place to live?" Nilly suggested after Faith finished telling our dilemma.

"What do you mean?" Dusk Shine asked as she removed a batch of freshly-baked muffins from the oven with her magic.

"Find yourselves your own house! My parents live here in the Bread Basket, but _I_ live next door! That way I have my own living space, buuuut I think you three need to find a place to live for a teensy bit different reason." she explained.

Faith and I exchanged glances, "yeah, just a little bit." Faith agreed.

"Well...I _do_ know a realtor if you three do decide to move! If ya wanna, just ask!"

"You know a realtor?" Dusk Shine asked.

"I know _everyone_ in Canterlot!"

"How come?" I asked.

"Well, once you've been running a bakery that nearly everyone goes to at least once a week, the faces begin to become recognizable, and then the names, the orders, so on, so on."

"Makes sense." commented Faith.

"What's her name?" Dusk Shine asked as she placed the muffins on the counter.

"House Hunter!" Nilly exclaimed, and then leaned in closer to me and in a whisper said, "but I call her 'International'."

I looked at her with puzzlement, then asked, "why?"

She giggled to herself, waved a hoof, and said, "nevermind." she said with a much louder laugh, then picked up a pie pan with her mouth and carried it whilst hopping into the back where the kitchen was. "Waaaaay before its time!" she called.

Dusk Shine smiled, then shook her head in amusement, "I'm not even going to ask."

Faith laughed. "Probably a good idea."

"So when do you think we can talk to this realtor?" I asked Nilly as I joined her in the kitchen.

"Right now." I heard a voice say by the front desk.

Faith and Dusk Shine both gasped in unison, and I looked at her, confused. "Where did you come from?" I asked the dark-orange-bodied, red-maned mare with a _for sale_ sign as her cutie mark.

"My house." she replied, "thus, bringing us back to the subject at hoof!" Dusk Shine and I exchanged looks of curiosity.

"Wow! We were just talking about that...are you a wizard?" Faith asked in awe.

"No, silly! She's obviously an Earthen Equestrian!" Nilly said with a laugh as she came back through the kitchen doors.

"Hmm...let me guess..." House Hunter said with a look of intense concentration as she scanned us up and down. "A house near the castle, but not _too_ close" she said looking at me, "a lot of windows," she looked at Dusk Shine, "and at least...three bedrooms." she finished with Faith.

"I'd probably stay in the same room with Sapphire." Faith said nervously.

"Yeah, but trust me, you're going to love having an extra room for any guests that come to stay." she turned back to me, "so does that sound about right?"

"Yes ma'am." Faith confirmed.

"Yep, I think." Dusk Shine added.

They both looked at me, awaiting my own confirmation. "I'll have to ask Princess Celestia if it's all right with her...but if she allows it, yeah it sounds great!"

"Great!" House Hunter said with a look of determination, "I'll see what I can do."

"Whatever you want to do, Sapphire." Princess Celestia replied when I asked her. We were in the Throne Room, with Starswirl and Luna at her sides and Faith and Dusk Shine at mine.

I turned to Starswirl, "It doesn't matter to me. You're usually up before you're needed anyway, so it's not like it'll make a difference between you getting lost in these..._very_ confusing corridors. But overall, it's not up to me, it's between you and the Royal Sisters."

I lastly turned to Princess Luna, "I'm fine with the idea, so long as you're not too far from the castle, then I will be perfectly suffice." she said with a smile.

"All right! We're getting our own house again!" Faith said excitedly, "I mean, no offense to you at all, Princess, but I'd much rather our own home than a room."

Princess Celestia smiled at the young dragon, "I completely understand, Faith, and sympathize with how you feel. If you do, I'll even make sure to take care of expenses, Sapphire."

I smiled brightly and bowed my head, "thank you, Princess."

"Of course, my faithful young student."

As I left the Throne Room, I could feel an odd sensation in my hooves, like there were vibrations coming from beneath the floor, and a distinct buzzing could be heard, but I quickly pushed it to the back of my mind. _We're getting our own house again! _I thought as I trotted away.


	13. Whispers of the Past

-Chapter XIII- Whispers of the Past

-Canterlot, Equestria

-23rd of March, 1008 A.D.

-11:00 A.M.

-Sapphire

"So, what did she say?" Nilly asked as Dusk Shine, Faith, and I left the castle.

"She said she was not only fine with us finding our own house," I said, "but she would also take care of expenses."

"Awesome! That makes it all the better!" Nilly exclaimed excitedly.

"So, when are we supposed to talk to House Hunter then?" Dusk Shine asked.

"She said she'd be able to get to you three possibly today around two or so, actually."

Faith gave a confused look, "That's strange, she seemed right on top of _us_ when we were talking about our own place, you'd think she had a lot of other people she's working with."

"She's _really_ good, that's why."

Dusk Shine and I exchanged glances, "all right, we'll take your word for it, Nilly." I told her.

"In the meantime, I_'_m gonna go help Lightning."

"With what?" Dusk Shine asked.

"Well, since her wings are still...um, 'out of order', I told her I would help her around the house."

"How so?" I asked. I couldn't see Vanilla able to help a pegasus without wings with tasks that would normally _require_ wings.

"I can hop..." she stopped, looking at us in intense seriousness for a second or two before smiling brightly, "...REALLY high!" she finished with a great leap into the air.

"Good luck with that." Dusk Shine said with a laugh as we waved Nilly away.

Once she was out of view, we stopped waving our hooves, and Dusk Shine and I looked at each other. "So..." I started.

"What are we going to do until two?"

"Why would you want to move out of the castle?" Flower Bud asked as I planted a small apple tree, ensuring that it was perfectly vertical.

"It's just very confusing." Dusk Shine told her.

"And big, with lot's of halls." Faith added.

"Oh, I can understand that." said Cornflower. "I hear someone got lost in there once. Lived off of acorns and toothpaste for a week."

"Yeah, so we're hoping House Hunter can help us out with being able to find a house quite fast." I told them.

"Well, I obviously haven't had a realtor before, but I hear that House Hunter's the best in the business." Flower Bud offered. "She usually finds the perfect home, even though she doesn't _know_ the Equestrian whom she works for."

"She sounds so serious though." Dusk Shine said, "it's like she _lives_ to sell houses and that alone."

"But Nilly seems to know her quite well." I debated.

"Maybe she has like two separate personalities...or something." Faith said with slitted eyes and wiggling her claws about as though her suggestion were really some sort of science-fiction horror story.

"For some reason I find that kinda hard to believe." Cornflower said with an amused smile.

Faith shrugged. "You never know though."

Dusk Shine smiled as she shook her head, then seemed to notice something behind me before promptly seeming a bit too joyous, smiling brightly. "What?" I asked, confused by her sudden change of mood.

"Greetings, Head Start! What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Ha ha, very funny." I said sarcastically.

"What is?" I tensed and suddenly turned around when I heard the stallion's voice behind me.

"Acorns and toothpaste." I responded quickly.

He gave a dumbfounded expression in return, but with a shook of his head, seemed to let it off of his mind. "All right, then." he said with a light chuckle. "Uh, where do you want me to start, Flower Bud?"

Flower Bud perked up when she heard her name being called, and had the face of fear that she may have been called out on something before realizing that it was just Head Start. "Oh uh, over..." she flew up over the trees to where the direction she pointed to with her hoof could be seen clearly, "...there."

Head Start flew up a bit to see where exactly it was she pointed, "At the small little clearing out there?"

"Yes please. It would be greatly appreciated."

He nodded in understanding. "Yes ma'am." he responded before flying over to where he was ordered.

Dusk Shine giggled, joined by Faith after a second, and Cornflower leaned closely to my ear and whispered, "I think they may have feelings for Head Start." before giggling a bit herself, "Judging by how they seem to always notice his presence the very moment he comes along, always laughing and whispering among themselves."

I forced out a bit of a laugh myself, not realizing just how fake it'd sound until it did, before nodding, "Yeah, eheh, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised." Cornflower laughed as she continued her work and I joined her as I did mine.

"All right, well I think that outta do it for now." Cornflower said with a satisfied expression.

I nodded in agreement. "Yes, definitely made quite the expansion today."

"Well done, everybody." Head Start said as he passed a group of other Equestrians before joining Flower Bud, Dusk Shine, Faith, Cornflower and I. "Hello, everyone."

"Hey Head Start." Faith said simply, to my surprise. Of course, her exhaustion seemed to leave her breathless on the ground, hardly awake.

"I told you you shouldn't have tried to carry that tree on your own." Cornflower lightly scorned.

"I thought it'd be at least a bit lighter than that. After all, it was only a sapling." she rebutted.

"Hey, Sapphire?" Head Start said, quietly as they continued their own conversation.

I tensed up for a second, my entire body seemingly impossible to move, but I quickly tried to overcome this feeling, "Yes?"

"Is it true? Are you looking for a different house? Here in Canterlot?"

I nodded. "Yes. In fact, we are to meet a realtor today within the next half-hour."

He smiled, seeming to realize something for a moment. "You wouldn't happen to have House Hunter as your realtor, would you?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Because she works like that, efficiently as well as effectively. I'm actually quite surprised that you were able to get her."

"How come?"

"She offers a hoof to anybody and anyone who decides to look for a house whenever possible, it seems, perhaps one right after another, and if she doesn't look for clientele, usually they look for her."

"I take it she helped you with your home?" I asked as we left the gardens together, again being revealed to the harsh rays of the sun, hot against my coat, sending specks of blinding blue all about, and bright against his. My hoofs burned with each step I took upon the heated brick paths.

He nodded. "She did, in fact, help me find Bountiful Getaway."

At first I was silent, lost with his statement, but I quickly realized what he meant. "Oh, yes, I had completely forgotten that most homes here are named." In fact I had only known that in the first place because of a book I had read on Canterlot customs a year beforehand.

"I wouldn't have thought you to know that in the first place." he said. "In fact, and do forgive me, but I don't remember you ever coming here from the Crystal Empire before at all."

"Well, usually when I did come here I would normally be sent here through the use of Starswirl's magic straight to the castle. But for whatever reason, we came here by train the other day." I thought about the two strange beings we saw as we departed from the train station with the darkened cloaks. I shuddered at the thought of what could be hidden from the world beneath.

"So how'd you know about some of our traditions at all? I hardly know all of them." he said with an uneasy laugh.

"Well, it wasn't uncommon for Princess Celestia to reward me with a book or two if I had completed a lesson with outstanding results or had exceeded either her or Starswirl's expectations. In fact, the first thing I have transferred here will most likely be my library." I said with a nervous smile.

"So you've been learning magic your entire life?" he asked. "You speak as though your teachings are your entire past, it seems."

"Not my entire life, but most of it." I felt my smile suddenly disappear. "Just since I was six." It took every bit of strength I had to keep my mind from wandering into the images from the horrid event that had changed my life for good.

"Did...something happen?" he asked.

"No," I lied. "Why do you ask?"

"You...nevermind." he said quickly. I was glad he let the subject drop. "Come, Sapphire, if it's all right with you, I'd like to accompany you on your house search."

I was caught off guard by this. "How come?"

He cocked his head to the side to show his lack of a response. "Just to get an idea of who you are, if that makes any sense. I mean, obviously you are a good soul if you've already make friends with Flower Bud." he chuckled, "took me four months before she actually had something of a full conversation with her."

"I..." my voice caught. "I wouldn't mind at all."


	14. Creature of Chaos

-Chapter XV- Creature of Chaos

-Canterlot, Equestria

-23rd of March, 1008 A.D.

-1:48 P.M.

-Sapphire

"Well...what have we here?" A voice rose around me, seeming to grip my mind as I gazed blankly into the abysmal darkness that engulfed me. "Oh..." it began, "you must be..._them_," I felt my fur stand up and my ears twitch when the deep, menacing voice said the word, as though in disgust with the very thought of what I was. "No, you need not worry about this, you and I...we shall meet soon enough."

"Who are you?" I managed to say, hiding the immense fear that I felt as well as I could. The voice didn't sound familiar, nor had the tone it had used. The very presence that I felt, even to the very sound of its breathing, felt completely unfamiliar and new to me that I felt more than uncomfortable. It was like the icy gaze of an unknown fear piercing into my eyes, staring straight at me, from in front of my unblinking eyes and yet, no matter how hard I desperately tried, I could not even make out a silhouette of the figure before me.

"Now, what did I just say?" it asked, as though tempting me and my curiosity. "You don't seem to follow instructions very well, eh?" I felt a claw run down my neck and around my belly, stopping at my cutie mark. I tried to move away, but I couldn't for a reason I did not know. "Ah..." it said thoughtfully, "a free-thinker!" A moment of silence followed, but after a quick burst of magic that was so clear and loud that I could easily identify it as a teleportation spell. It was like my foe _wished_ to be announced well and clear. "That's the worst kind," it whispered in my ear.

"Release me at once!" I demanded.

"Now, where'd the fun in _that_ be?" it said with a peculiar tone of humour. "If I were to let you go, you wouldn't be a good girl and stay put, but you'd try to, oh, I don't know, probably escape from me, even though we're in my own...personal piece of paradise." I felt magic flow through me, and my mind lock itself into place to cast a heavy radial explosion. As my horn began to illuminate in the darkness, the magic was quickly stopped when I felt something placed at the end of it. The sudden cut off threw me into a coughing fit. "You see what I mean? You just _have _to be freed _right_ this very second! Come now, Sapphire, if you wish to be naughty, then I can't do anything for you."

I quickly forced magic into my horn, causing the thing the presence had placed on top of it to pop off immediately. I watched as a cork fell to the ground in front of me. "What the..." I trailed off.

"Now, now," it began to object.

I quickly sent out a wave of magic all around me, similar to sonar, to pinpoint the presence, and possibly the size and power it possessed. My eyes widened as I realized I was alone. I suddenly collapsed, being released from the dreadful spell that kept me in place. I quickly stood, removing a couple stray hairs of my mane from my eyes, and looked around for my opponent.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk...how do you know I'm an 'opponent'?"

I was taken aback, not expecting the presence to still be there. I frantically looked about before realizing that it was also in my mind. "Who _are_ you?" I demanded again.

"I am..." it paused, as if to add a dramatic effect, "a creature of chaos."

"And what does this mean?"

"It means," a face appeared before me, smiling wickedly as it rose high above me, staring down at me fiercely, "that you'd better watch yourself, my little pony."

_My little...what?_

"You see, I am but the first threat. The first of many, all sent out to...how did he put it..._exterminate_ you."

"_Who?!_"

"Don't you understand?! I thought you were to be the intelligent one! You shall find out soon enough!" it burst out in anger. "It all shall come together, _Power Keeper_. But until then..." I was forced back from the smile by my own fear as dozens of red eyes opened around it, all focusing their attention on me, and as I continued to back away, a dozen more opened behind me, and I was forced to the centre as hundreds of eyes set their gaze upon me. "I will keep my eyes on you."

"Why? What use have I to you?"

_Sapphire_

"Why are you doing this?"

_Sapphire!_

"Why...me?"

"_Sapphire!_" I jolted upwards as Faith and Dusk Shine's voices called out to me from the light of the early-afternoon sun and awoke me from my nightmarish encounter with the creature of chaos.

"Are you all right?" Faith asked with a deeply worried look across her face. Her eyes told me that they had been trying to awaken me for quite some time.

"Y...yeah, I guess so..." I stammered.

"Come on, House Hunter is here!" Dusk Shine said excitedly as I stood from the bench I had fallen asleep on.

"What time is it?" I asked uneasily.

"Two on the dot." Head Start replied, joining me at my side. "She really is punctual, isn't she?"

I nodded, "yes, most definitely." I tried to smile, but the memory of the creature from my dream still haunted my thoughts, making happiness seem impossible to be reached again, but I knew that was only a temporary feeling, "I must apologize," I said to House Hunter as I joined Dusk Shine and Faith, "I guess I have been far more exhausted that I felt this morning."

"It's quite all right," she said with an understanding tone, one that I felt comfort in receiving, "it happens all the time."

"Really?"

"Actually, yes. I think it may just be the idea of settling somewhere new, a concept that seems daunting, causes one to become drowsy after the stress disperses."

Faith let out a bit of a snicker, "Sapphire? Dispersing stress? I thought I'd never see the day."

I shot Faith a fierce glance, but she almost didn't notice as she exchanged looks with Dusk Shine before they simultaneously stared at me and Head Start together, standing side-by-side. "What are they looking at?" Head Start asked.

"Moving on," I said quickly as I turned back to House Hunter. "Are we ready, then?"

She nodded, "Yes, actually. And I may already have the perfect place, too."

"Wait, really?" Faith asked, turning around quickly towards the older mare. "Without a list of our preferences, or...perhaps what sort of neighborhood we'd prefer or anything?"

House Hunter gave the baby dragon a small smile before turning around and walking in the direction of Princess Celestia's castle. Dusk Shine, Head Start, and I look at each other uneasily before reluctantly following her lead.

"I really hope she knows what she's doing," I heard Dusk Shine mutter under her breath.


	15. Sapphire Mansion

-Chapter XV- Sapphire Mansion

-Canterlot, Equestria

-23rd of March, 1008 A.D.

-2:01 P.M.

-Sapphire

"Hey guys!" Nilly exclaimed as Dusk Shine, Faith, Head Start, House Hunter, and I walked down the street towards the castle.

"Hi, Nilly," Faith replied quickly as the mare bounded towards us, bouncing high in the air. "What are you doing here?"

"Just wanting to see how the house search is going," she explained. "How was it?"

"We haven't seen it yet," Dusk Shine said from my side. "But I'm pretty sure she's determined to show us how 'perfect' it is," she added to her in a whisper.

"Believe me, young unicorn!" House Hunter called from the front of the group, "You will love it!"

"If it's so nice, how come it's not already taken by some other family or group of friends?" Head Start asked with a honest curiosity.

"It's...a bit pricey, but I already know of Princess Celestia's agreement with Sapphire about payment," she explained.

"How'd you know about that?" I asked quickly. Surely I hadn't told her about that.

"I talked with her majesty," House Hunter said with a smile. "She said she was more than willing, and that she had already talked to you about it," she finished, turning to me. She stopped abruptly, "Here we are."

"Whoa..." Faith said in awe. It was a fine home, not large, but also not small. It was a decent, quaint home, one of which that obviously was shown little care, but could radiate if restored. "It's...kind of pretty...if you squint..."

I noticed Dusk Shine follow Faith's recommendation, quickly followed by Nilly. "I guess so," Dusk Shine said.

"I think it looks pretty," I debated sternly. "It's just a bit of a...uh, 'fixer-upper' I think it's called."

"'Fixer-upper'?" Faith repeated. "Where'd you learn _that_ saying?"

I shrugged, "Don't ask, I don't even quite know."

House Hunter smiled. "It's a three-bedroom house, one bathroom, a nice living room and kitchen, with a beautiful hardwood flooring."

"Bathroom?" I asked, "What's..."

"I'll show you," House Hunter said with a sure, determined smile.

We walked into the house through a dark, shiny wooden door that creaked when opened into a large, empty room with plenty of insulation and bits and pieces of wood and trash strewn all about. Dust floated through the air, like shining little specks as they flew past the sunlight filtering through the window. I took one hoofstep forward, sending a cloud of dust into the air, throwing me into a coughing fit. Faith followed me, walking beneath me and sneezing quickly at the dust. The room was dark, dingy, and seeming unpleasant overall.

"Three bedrooms?" Faith asked. "What would we use _three_ bedrooms for?"

House Hunter looked at her with a smile, "one for Sapphire, one for Dusk Shine, and one for you."

"For...me?" Faith asked with a sense of awe in her voice. "That's...I never thought about having my own room before."

"Yes, I thought you may enjoy that idea." she turned to me, "Like you said, it just needs a bit of care."

"More than care, I'd say," I heard Faith mutter.

I shot Faith an angry glance before nudging her roughly with my hoof. "Stop it," I whispered scornfully.

"Now, for the bathroom," House Hunter said, walking through one of the two archways in the living room and into a hallway, followed shortly by me and Dusk Shine, then Faith and Nilly, and Head Start in the back of the group. At the right-hoof end of the hallway there was a white-painted door that she opened with a push of her hoof. It swung in to reveal some sort of large basin on the floor.

"What is that?" I asked, pointing a hoof to it.

"That is a washtub."

"Oh, that's neat!" Nilly said as she poked her head into the room between our shoulders.

"That's very unique, actually." Dusk Shine said reluctantly, obviously ashamed to admit that her thoughts about House Hunter's first attempt at showing us a house had been wrong.

"Now then, shall we see the bedrooms?"

Dusk Shine was the first to nod, which surprised me and Faith both.

The first room was oddly-shaped, with a diagonal wall having the only window. There were two candles hanging from either side of the window, and one on the left wall as well as one on the right of the door. Of course, the room caused me to feel uneasy because of the peculiar shape, and I couldn't help but move along to the next one quickly.

The second room was a near-perfect square, with a chandelier hanging in the very centre of dust-covered room. The only abnormality of the room was a small alcove in the middle of the right wall when you trotted in. Seeing as how the alcove's indentation traveled evenly to the ceiling, I didn't mind it. This was the room I surely preferred.

The third room was a bit small compared to the first two, and a somewhat thinner, longer rectangular shape with a window facing to the left and another facing to the backyard. Candle stands were nailed to the wall beside the door and on the wall opposite from the door. Torn drapes hung loosely from the window facing the back, drooping depressingly. I could only wonder what the house looked like when it was newly built.

"I like it," I said when we walked into the kitchen, which was completely bare of furniture, drapes, or decor of any kind, just as the first two bedrooms and the living room had been. We trotted carefully as to avoid and debris that was strewn about in our way, which I eventually simply pushed aside with my magic.

"It may take a while to clean up, though," Head Start warned.

"Not at all, with magic," Dusk Shine pointed out. This was a good point, with two unicorns with magical capabilities beyond most, cleaning a house couldn't be too much of a chore.

I shrugged before looking to House Hunter. "We'll take it," I stated simply.

She smiled before bowing her head. "Yes ma'am."


	16. Harmony Lost

-Chapter XVI- Harmony Lost

-Canterlot, Equestria

-24th of March, 1008 A.D.

-9:00 A.M.

-Sapphire

"Miss Sapphire, Miss Sapphire!" I heard a deep voice call from the front door. I had just finished cleaning my own room when there had been a loud, ground-shaking explosion in the far distance. I hadn't thought much of it, being too engrossed in the thought of having the messy, slightly decrepit home clean at last. Though it had only been hardly a day, it felt like nearly a century of a night sleeping in the filthy building. I had spent as long as I could the night before cleaning, but eventually Dusk Shine had forced me to sleep at last.

I galloped over to the door, dropping the broom that I had been cleaning with my magic for the past few hours, and quickly opened it, recognizing the urgency in the pegasus guard's voice. "Yes, what is it?" I asked quickly, staring up at the fear-stricken, bronze-plated guard.

"Princess Celestia has sent for you!" he stated quickly. The sense of fear in his voice caused me to share the feeling, unable to think properly. "She said that you would be able to assist us."

"What? What is it? What has happened?"

"It's Discord!" he exclaimed with wide eyes. "He's attacking Canterlot!"

I stared at him, unable to think properly. "I...yes sir, I'll be on my way shortly," I told him quickly. He nodded and flew off, leaving me to run back into the house to quickly take Faith, who had still been asleep.

"What's...what's going on?" she asked as I lifted her into the air with my magic.

"Come on, we're leaving to see Princess Celestia," I explained quickly. "Dusk Shine! Come along!"

"What is it?" she called from the washroom.

"We're leaving, are you coming or not?"

"Yeah, I'll be out in a second!"

"I'm leaving now!"

"I'll be there in a bit!"

I sighed irritably, galloping out through the door and towards the castle, towering over the rest of Canterlot. "Princess Celestia!" I called as I burst through the door. I galloped through the main entryway and up the set of stairs and made my way to the Throne Room. "Princess! I came as quickly as I..." I trailed off, realizing that Princess Celestia had not been there. Instead, there was some sort of...creature.

"Well! Isn't this just a dandy old time!" it said with a wicked smile. "Sapphire, yes?"

"Sapphire...?" Faith asked uneasily. "Who...?"

"Who are you?" I asked quickly, taking a step back from the monstrous being before me, sitting on Princess Celestia's throne, staring down at me with a triumphant glare.

"What, you don't recognize me?" I asked sternly, pushing himself up from his place on the throne.

"Sapphire, you know who this is..." Faith whispered in my ear. "This is Discord, isn't it?"

"Oh my goodness..." I whispered, taking another step away from him. "You..." As if on cue, he slowly smiled, realizing that I understood who it was now. _The creature of chaos..._ My mind was blank, unable to think clearly. I tried to speak, but no words came. I turned and ran, taking Faith with my magic and placing her on my back as I ran. I galloped as hard as I could, not caring where, but away from him...as I came to the stairs, I jumped off from the top to land on the floor below, using my magic to soften the landing, and I sped through across the room and towards the large doors, seeing Dusk Shine and our friends standing just outside. Dusk Shine was dripping wet, and stopped me before I was able to flee from the castle.

"Sapphire!" she exclaimed as she stepped aside and in my way. "What's wrong?"

"He's in there!" Faith and I exclaimed simultaneously.

"Who?" Cornflower asked.

"D–er, I, uh, we..." Faith stuttered.

"Discord!" I exclaimed.

"Discord?" I heard Princess Celestia call from behind us. "He's here?"

"Oh, like you wouldn't know, Discord!" Faith yelled.

I stared him down, thinking the very same thing Faith was. "Get back!" I told my friends, "He's pretending to be Princess Celestia to fool us!"

"Sapphire, what do you mean?"

I took a step back from him as he took a step towards me. "Back, demon!" I yelled at him.

He took a few steps back from me, seeming to be taken aback, hurt, almost, before looking angry. I was surprised to see him mimic Princess Celestia's emotions so well. "Don't act like you don't know what we're talking about, _Discord_," Faith demanded.

"What're y'all talking about?" Cornflower asked.

"Don't believe his illusion!" I exclaimed.

"Sapphire, what are you speaking of?" Discord asked.

"Nyah!" I bounded towards him, lowering my head before being picked up with magic. "Oh my goodness...I..." I stammered. "I'm so sorry Princess."

"What?" Faith asked in disbelief. "You just saw him! He was-"

"Faith, her magic is golden," I explained. "This isn't Discord..." I turned from Faith again, "I'm so..._so_ sorry Princess..."

"Sapphire, if you were willing to attack me you must have seen him..." Princess Celestia said, almost in a whisper.

"Why aren't any of you in panic?" I asked frantically.

"Why...would we?" Lightning asked, confused.

"Discord's attacking!" I exclaimed.

"He...is?" Flower Bud asked uneasily.

"Sapphire, you sure you didn't hit yerself on the head?" Cornflower asked. "Discord ain't attacking."

"But...but the guard...you sent for me," I said, turning back to the princess.

"Guard?" Dusk Shine asked. "What guard?"

"The guard that was knocking on the door!"

"When?" she asked in disbelief.

"While you were in the washroom!"

"You three have a washroom?" Shining Star asked in awe.

"Where was Discord?" Princess Celestia asked angrily.

"In the Throne Room," Faith answered quickly.

Celestia quickly turned around and galloped up the stairs. I exchanged glances with each of my friends before we followed her up the steps. "Discord!" she called. Her voice echoed throughout the open halls as she trotted through the large, heavy doors and into the Throne Room. "Where are you!"

Dusk Shine and I looked at each other before turning back to Celestia. "Wait, your Highness!" Faith called after her before running after her. My eyes widened as Faith immediately disappeared as she entered through the doorway.

"Faith!" I called, I ran after her but Dusk Shine ran past me, disappearing as well. "_No!_" I passed through what seemed like a portal. I felt the energy wave ripple as I passed through, and I felt a wave of energy rush pass me. I was filled with a sense of dread as I realized I was no longer in Canterlot.

I wasn't in Equestria at all.


	17. Discordant Rhyme

-Chapter XVII- Discordant Rhyme

-Discordant Plane

-32th of Novembruary, 1008 A.D.

-92:67.5 L.A.

-Sapphire

I looked around, unable to comprehend where I was or what I was doing. I looked about frantically, looking for some sort of exit somewhere in the brightly-lit, white room. I began to sink in the white flooring, and I realized that it was especially sticky. It...it was marshmallow?

"HELLO, AND WELCOME TO THE APERTURE SCIENCE TESTING CHAMBER," I heard a loud feminine voice call out over a loudspeaker somewhere in the blindingly white void.

"Oh, hush now, GLaDOS!" Discord called back angrily before turning to me, looking behind me at something I couldn't, "Don't worry, folks, it's not a crossover, but I felt the desire, no, the _need_ to mix things up a bit," he explained with a mischievous smile.

"I...I don't even understand anymore..." I trailed away. "Wh-"

Discord promptly clapped his paws, stopping me from speaking any more. "So, _Sapphire_..." he said, almost spitting my name in disgust, "a little...'birdy' told me you are the Power Mawhatsit!"

"Power _Keeper_!" I corrected, shooting him a fierce glare.

"Ooh! I'm so sorry, but I'm afraid that means _you_ are our winning contestant!" he exclaimed.

"And what would this mean?"

He looked down at me, his red-eyed glare piercing my soul, "Well, that means _he_ would like to speak with you, and...I can't imagine with good intention," he said with a chuckle.

"And I take it _you're_ going to take me to 'him'?"

"Well then! He was right when you said you're good at figuring simple things out!"

He snapped his fingers and the marshmallow floor beneath me began to warm up, causing me to sink in further. I tried to escape the sticky imprisonment, but any struggle only sped up my inevitable fate. When it was up to my neck, I tried to look around for something I could tether my magic to, but there was nothing; even Discord had disappeared. I drew a deep breath as I was submerged in the heated marshmallow.

I began to feel myself falling, but I refused to open my eyes out of fear. I felt my heartbeat increase, and soon the monotonous booming was in my ears as the wind blew in them and I felt it beating against my chest.

"_Sapphire!_"

I opened my eyes as I heard Faith's cry for help. "Faith?" I called out before seeing where I was. I wasn't falling, nor was there any evidence that I was at all. I found myself in a library, with shelves towering high above me, almost reaching the even higher ceilings. "Faith!" I called again. The only response was my own voice echoing back to me. I looked to the shining wooden floor, then back up to the ceiling, brightly lit by some sort of strange candles that had no fire, but I could sense a pulse of energy from their centers, held in some sort of bulb.

I took a step toward a long, oak table with a few opened books strewn about on it. I looked about, expecting something to happen, but there was only silence. I nearly had a heart attack when I heard Discord's voice over my shoulder. "_Your friends just had to join in on the party, didn't they?_"

"What do you mean?" I asked as I turned to where the voice came, but he wasn't there. "My friends are here too...?" Fear gripped me as I imagined what horrors could be enveloping them. "What have you done to them, demon?"

"_Why don't you find out for yourself?_"

I jumped again when a loud squeaking broke the eery silence, followed by a loud, heavy, hollow _thud!_ I turned again to where the sound was, and a door had appeared from the wall and was wide open, revealing only darkness on the other side. "I'm surprised you'd make it so easy..." I said to myself, so quietly it didn't even echo across the room.

"_You have no idea how much I was hoping you'd say something like that!_"

My eyes widened as the bookshelves began to shake violently. I stepped away from them as the books literally began to _fly_ from the shelves, barreling towards me with the force of a drunken pegasus. I quickly dove out of the way just in time for it to whirr in my ear. "I just _had _to say something!" I yelled angrily as an entire wave came towards me. I began to gallop towards them, and just before they hit me, I used my magic to teleport myself just behind them.

"_Hey! No magic!_" I heard Discord's voice yell.

I landed lightly on the ground and continued galloping towards the exit, afraid take the chance of slowing down and looking over my shoulder to the possessed literature. Desperate as two more waves came at me from either side, I jumped towards the door, landing a hoof or two away from the door, but luckily the highly-polished wooden floor caused me to slide through the door. It shut behind me, engulfing me in total darkness.

A bright light shone down from above me as the ceiling was lifted, and I shielded my eyes with my hoof. I saw Discord's bear paw reach down to grab me, and, somehow, I felt myself grab the floor by tethering my magic from my hooves to it. Discord took my tail and tried to pull me up, but I held still. He pulled tighter and tighter before I felt myself begin to stretch. Surprised, I looked over my shoulder to see that I was, indeed, becoming elongated.

When he let go, I fell to the ground with a metal _clang!_ The spell faded and Discord took me by my stretched belly and took me out from what seemed to be a miniature doll house and inspected me before fitting me into a bow miniature to his own size, fitting me perfectly in the drawstring. He let go and the force sent me a distance forward, flying through the air before my horn pierced a wall, the inertia pushing my body back to normal size and shape.

I struggled to free myself, seeing that I was caught between two stone bricks, and, using the force of all four of my hooves, I pushed with all my strength, freeing myself. Happiness was quickly converted to fear as I began to fall, quickly landing on a large cornflake that was big enough for me to use as a boat as I drifted across a stream of milk, spoons replacing foliage alongside the ceramic bank. I looked up to the sky, dotted with plastic stars that had been pasted on, to see a large, red spaceship flying overhead, but the sound of a roaring waterfall stole my attention from the marvel.

I grabbed the nearest oversized silverware and desperately tried to row away from the rushing milk. Despite my efforts, I still found myself floating towards the milkfall. As I fell, I had a sense of weightlessness before plunging into darkness on something metal. I heard a loud _bang _and I was shot out of the darkness on a big black bullet with arms and eyes. When it exploded, I was sent towards a big piece of white fabric, which I bounced off of, then stopped in mid-air for just long enough to look down, and I started falling. In fear, I surrounded myself in a magic bubble to protect me from my landing before realizing that I had stopped falling, and my blue bubble was now harmlessly floating aimlessly about. I sighed in relief before I noticed Discord's eagle hand holding a large needle beside the bubble, and with a simple tap, he popped my bubble with the needle.

I had expected to begin to fall again, but was caught off-guard when I realized I was plummeting upwards and landed abruptly on a ceiling. I shook my head to get my sense back, then galloped for the only open door, which, too, was upside-down. I dodged the upside-down chandelier that hung upwards with the chain still erect, and jumped at the door, which closed at the last second. I landed, frozen, back on the ceiling with my face flat, like a table. Discord, now normally sized again, opened the door with a hot piece of iron and a piece of cloth, which he placed on me and proceeded to use me as an ironing table. He left the iron on me, which was painlessly burning through me and ceiling and sending both me and the it into a world of black.

When I landed I was sent straight into the ground and was buried. After a few seconds, I popped out of the ground in a plant. My face was uncovered as it was the flower of the plant. I struggled out of my leafy prison and fell to the ground, surprised that I didn't fall through. I quickly got to my hooves and galloped away from the now dead plant before being picked up again by Discord's giant paw. He placed an oversized, strangely-shaped rubber glove that only his eagle-hand and Faith's hand could fit perfectly on my horn and used his bear-paw to squeeze my belly, forcing magic out of my horn and expanding the glove. After about the third or fourth squeeze, the glove popped and I found myself lost again, now in a world of static.

Panicking, I glanced at my endless surroundings and ran in a random direction before being stopped by an invisible wall of glass, with shattered as it began to fall forwards with me, collided with a floor. I fell to the other side and found myself in a living room lying before a couch. A little filly trotted in a saw me lying there before quickly yelling, "Mom! Somepony broke the picture box!"

I got up as quickly as I could and bounded through an opened door leading to a completely white room with only an orange hole in the opposite wall. I galloped through it and fell straight back down to the middle of the room. I looked up from where I fell to see a blue hole in the ceiling. Furiously, I ran through the orange hole again and fell back down to the middle of the room, breaking through the floor and landing in a garden with again normal sized Discord sitting on a picnic blanket with an empty tea cup. He smiled as he offered me the cup, then scooped me up in it. I winced as I found myself in the cup where I was now the size of an ant. I saw a tea kettle, steam pouring from the spout, hover over the cup and I furiously searched for a way out. When I found a panel in the floor of the pottery, I opened it and quickly went in it without looking.

I found myself in a distorted world of numerous bright colours and a tall, two-legged clown galloping towards me with a sack. I turned to escape, but was caught and tied in the sack. When I was released, I was released onto a large, hot frying pan. Hopping to escape the heat, I found a large spatula and stood on it, panting to catch my breath as it protected me from the scolding iron. A large egg was cracked and began to fry on the pan, and the yolk divided into two, and they opened, like eyes. A creature jumped at me and took me from my spatula and onto the pan, sending us completely through and submerged into some water.

I desperately swam up to find air. At the surface of the sea was a large storm with nearly black clouds that covered the sky from which, rain relentlessly poured from. I searched the storm for land, but was caught in a fishing net and raised from the ocean where Discord met me face-to-face, holding the net. He carried me across the fishing boat we were on as the rain continued to pour and threw me into a cellar. When I met with the ground, I quickly got back up and galloped back up the stairs to the cellar door, only to find it locked. In anger, I shot a bolt of magic and incinerated the lock before I forced it open to a world of white. Discord, who led an army of marching wooden two-legged creatures wearing an elite guard uniform, picked me up again, this time now like a blaster from a science fiction novel, using my front hooves like the clip, back hooves like a grip, my tail like the butt of the gun, and my horn pointing forward. He marched forward in unison with the wooden soldiers, and he lifted me and threw me into the air.

I landed face-down with him looking triumphantly over me. "Why...why are you doing this?" I asked weakly as I sat up.

He smiled, letting a small laugh escape his lips, and leaned down to my level, "I've told you, _he_ wants you..._alive_." I shrank back when he spitted the word "alive", as though he had different plans for me.

I forced myself to all four hooves, and he stared at me expectantly as my knees shook under my own weight. "You...you-" I collapsed again.

"What's wrong, my little pony?" he asked as he lifted me again, holding me close to his face.

"P...pony?" I rasped, "What's that?"

He rolled his eyes at me, then threw me back to the ground. "That's what you _are_, you stupid unicorn."

I ignored his insult, "Who is it you're working with?" I demanded. "Tell me!"

His mischievous smile returned, "Now, I don't think you're in position to tell me what to do," he said with a heavy chuckle. "Come along now, Sapphire," he said as he lifted me limply over his shoulder.

I felt frustration cloud my mind and take control over my actions. "No!" I yelled as I struck him with my hoof. As he doubled over in pain I tried to again gallop away from my captor.

"Oh, for the love of-" I heard behind me as a blinding light struck me again, forcing me to stop and shrink away from it's powerful glare.

When I awoke again, I was at the entrance of a temple, long aged with time and covered with a thick layer of moss and vines. The sun shone brightly down on where I laid, and I heard birds chirping loudly as they fluttered through the air. I almost didn't get up; I was more exhausted than I ever remember, and where I was, basking in the sunlight...it was almost too good to be true.

I drew a heavy sigh, feeling myself drift again back into sleep.


	18. Fight For Sanity Pt 1

-Chapter XVIII- Fight For Sanity Pt. 1

-Discordant Plane

-32th of Novembruary, 1008 A.D.

-91:411.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 L.A.

-Dusk Shine

She ran for as long as she could before she could do nothing more than collapse under her own weight. As she fell to the darkened sand path that ran through the open, empty landscape, she felt him slowly creep up on her. She drew a heavy desperately fighting her own exhaustion to return to her hooves, but to no avail. Her fruitless efforts left her limp on the ground, with the only sound to be heard her heartbeat pulsating in her ears.

She did not dare open her mouth to take in the hot, dry air that enveloped her for fear that she would also inhale a gust of wind's gift of sand within it, so she only breathed through her flaring nostrils as she helplessly clung to hope. She rolled on her side, attempting to face her chaser, but she was only kicked to her original position. "Don't...dare..."

"Don't dare _what?_" Discord demanded angrily. He stomped over to the unicorn and grabbed her by the horn and raised her to meet his face. He snorted in sick amusement. "Well then, I guess you've no place to be making demands, eh, Dusk Shine?"

"How...do you know...my name...?" she asked between desperate gulps of air through her bared teeth.

At this Discord seemed unable to hide his amusement with a mischievous smile, "now, _that's _for me to know and you to _never_ find out!" he spat. He almost lingered upon the words, as though he were tempting the unicorn. He knew something...

"Why...are you doing this?" Dusk Shine ventured through her daze.

But he only shook his head at first, "You still don't get it, do you?" he asked. The unicorn only responded with a blank, confused, desperate stare. "This isn't about you, or your _friends_, or the Elements of Harmony!" he yelled, throwing her back down to the hot sand.

She slid across about a foot or two away from the demonic creature, "The...Elements...?" She looked up at Discord, who now floating in the air above her, silhouetting in the sun and casting a large shadow upon the pink Crystalline. "The Elements of Harmony..." she muttered to herself, "why does that sound so familiar?"

"Now listen here!" he demanded as he swooped down to catch her by the throat, "I swear, if you or any of the friends that followed you here get in my away again!" he paused as he dropped her heavily back down to her resting place in the gritty sand, sending a cloud of it up, and slithered down slowly and whispered in her ear, "_I will personally guarantee you a reserved place in Tartarus, just for you all..._"

Dusk Shine's eyes widened with fear as he continued to drawn-out sentence, catching sand in them that stung like heated needles sent through them, and, without another word, Discord floated away from the distraught mare. With only a smile as a farewell, he snapped two of his eagle-like fingers, and a tornado of sand flew towards him, spiraling around him until he was no longer visible. Dusk Shine watched as he vanished, just as he did her. Once he was completely concealed behind the veil of dirt, rock, and mineral, the wind slowed, and the sand settled again, leaving no trace of the god of chaos.

Though she knew that she'd best heed that warning, but, at the same time, she couldn't. She had been friends with Sapphire and Faith for far too long, ever since what had happened all those years ago, and they had just become friends with Flower Bud, White Lightning, Vanilla Cream, Cornflower, and Shining Star. She _couldn't_ give up... Despite what Discord was aiming for, trying to strike fear into Dusk Shine's heart, it only made her all the more determined to stay by her friends' sides.

She forced herself up again. Her hooves ached, her knees burned with overuse, her eyes felt like fire, her lungs felt as though they had shriveled, and all hope seeming lost...she burned with a fierce desire. A desire to not only prove Discord wrong, but to be there for her fellow Equestrian friends, just as they would be for her.

Though she had never been very good at it, she let all of her mind's power focus, and she felt her magic coursing through her veins, building up in her horn. She breathed deeply, and shot the magic forth, sending it straight to the air, piercing the sky and breaking Discord's own magic and forcing it to retreat as her magenta magic forged strongly onwards. The winds quickly ceased, the sand stopped blowing, settling permanently, and the sun's heat was quickly transformed into a cool, relaxing breeze, bringing only a leaf or two along with it into the air. When Dusk Shine opened her eyes, she was no longer in the endless desert, filled only with despair and longing, but in Canterlot again, looking over the landscape as hundreds of Equestrians gathered around her, looking up at her, awaiting her command...

Dusk Shine knew this was only an illusion, created by her own magic, but she felt every detail so particularly, so keenly that it almost seemed to be impossible to even imagine that it was nothing more than a facade. She felt Discord's strong magic begin to strengthen before her, and she looked up defiantly at him as his face of triumph quickly was replaced with a look of anger, and something that was completely new: confusion. Discord looked over Dusk Shine's own facade in horror, lowering himself to the ground, watching as the Equestrians watched him back, and gathered around him. He frantically looked over the overpowering throng that only grew in size as the masses were added on, leaving their homes and shelters to see the wondrous event that seemed to be playing out before them.

Dusk Shine lowered herself to the other Equestrians level, examining Discord's expression with every second that it changed from one uncertain emotion to the next. Dusk Shine now felt a triumphant smile grace her lips, and again charged her magic, now aiming directly for Discord. A wave of desperation flooded her mind and caused her to wish his existence permanently gone, and she was just about to unleash her fury when...

"_Wait!_"

She looked up in shock as Discord's frown slowly upturned, and he snapped his fingers. Six bubbles, silver, green, yellow, brown, purple, blue...each holding a familiar silhouette within them, appeared before the two, surrounding them, slowly rotating about... "What-"

"Look familiar?" Discord asked with a maniacal laugh that bellowed from his strangely-configured body. "Your friends are in a deep, deep, magic-induced sleep that you even Princess Celestia couldn't break! You attack me now, you'll never see them open their eyes again!" he threatened.

"You wouldn't!" Dusk Shine cried out. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she spoke, but she didn't dare show her fear as the thoughts of each of them, lost forever...

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked, "What would I have to lose if a few _horses_ lost their lives?"

"I-!" she stopped, "I..." Dusk Shine's voice faltered.

"Ha! I knew it! If you really cared for your kind, you'd kill me now and be done with it! But you can't, can you? Not because of your conscience, not because of you can't stand the thought of taking another life, but because...you wish to save _six_ lives! Six little, insignificant lives. Now, how much sadder could it possibly get?"

"Free them!" Dusk Shine demanded.

"Or what?"

"Or I'll...! I'll..."

"_Or else I'll kill you myself!_" Dusk Shine lit up when she heard the familiar voice.

Discord looked up in fear as he saw Sapphire shoot down from the sky, crashing down to the ground between the two. But Dusk Shine's joy in hearing her dear friend's voice quickly vanished when she heard her words. Could Sapphire really kill Discord? And even if she did, what could become of their friends? And there was something else...something Dusk Shine couldn't put her hoof on...Sapphire seemed different somehow, her voice was filled with more rage than she had ever heard from any voice before. Any sort of call of anger, threat, or even the deadliest of violent actions couldn't compare to the fatality of Sapphire's heart-piercing tone alone.

What had happened to her friend?

Sapphire's horn quickly grew bright, and with a flash of turquoise magic, the six bubbles immediately popped, releasing Lightning, Bud, Cornflower, Nilly, Star, and, from the bubble Dusk Shine had expected Sapphire to be trapped in, Faith. Now Discord's face was completely scarce of any sort of trickery, of deceitfulness, of the joy of having the upper hand. In a quick movement, obviously forced by fear, Discord snapped his fingers, and the three were engulfed in a dark void.


	19. Fight For Sanity Pt 2

-Chapter XIX- Fight For Sanity Pt. II

-Discordant Plane

-60-2Ath of March of the Meanies, 1008 A.D.

-1

-Sapphire

I felt the anger pulsating through my veins, through my mind, so that it felt as though my actions were fueled by something that wasn't me. Was this simply anger? Or was it...this something else? The feeling felt familiar. It wasn't long ago. The feeling of another being, absorbed within my own. Our souls melded together as one. No...the very same soul. Two beings, and yet...one soul? _Is this what Princess Celestia had told me about? _I thought. Was this the Keeper's Spirit? Memories, flooding into my mind that I couldn't recognize as my own.

_Malefor?_

_ Nightingale?_

What did these names mean, if anything? I looked frantically about, fear and anger raging war within me to take control. I felt my magic, ready to attack and eliminate anything that I could begin to even feel the presence of. Dusk Shine, Faith, Discord, and the rest of my friends' auras that disappeared as soon as Discord's chaotic magic had enveloped his plane of existence. "_Discord!_" I yelled into the darkness. Silence followed as I waited for a response.

"Sapphire!" I heard another voice call back to me.

"Dusk Shine?" I called back. "Where are you?" I felt as my magic spread out across the dimensional plane, sensing any sort of life, but I still couldn't feel Dusk Shine. "Dusk Shine!" I turned to see a small, insignificant pink light in the far distance. All I could do was watch as the light grew stronger. However, I still had no control over my magic or limbs.

"_Well...you still just won't give up?_" I heard Discord yell through the abyss. "_What is wrong with you?_" I felt the second presence creep up my back again. But it wasn't the same soul anymore.

I was flung forwards as Discord appeared behind me with a blow to the back of my head. I skidded along the blackened ground and turned quickly as he came down with another. I fell to the ground before he took me by the neck and thrust his eagle hand into my belly. A loud screech rang through my throat as I felt his chaotic magic melding with my own. My horn glowed angrily and I brought down my soul explosion spell, sending him a good five or six yards away from me.

He looked at me with a burning glare and thrust his hand in my direction, sending some sort of spell after me and paralyzing me. I could only watch as Dusk Shine came from behind him and grabbed onto his head, sending them both into a spiral of confusion as Discord tried to throw her off. Dusk Shine wrapped her hooves around his horns and used her hind legs to force his head forward, the force sending him to the ground. His spell wore off of me and I flung myself as Dusk Shine's side. I held up my hoof, and began to strike Discord, but I stopped after a blow when I looked up at Dusk Shine, the look of pure horror stricken across her face.

I looked down at my hooves to see they had completely transformed into a clawed hand, just as Faith's, only much, much larger. Long, sharp claws of ivory had protruded my scale-covered paw that was once my crystalline hoof. "Heheh..." I turned to Discord, pitiful as he was with blood streaming from a fair of parallel scratches just under his eye. "So _this_ is the Keeper's Spirit? I wasn't expecting a draconic forme, to be honest. I knew of Dravius, and Kyrviana, and Dragia and Wilfre, but not this!"

He abruptly threw his head high into the air, throwing Dusk Shine away from us. He held up his bear paw, his eyes glowing with hatred, and picked me up with his red magical aura. He smiled wickedly before sending me flying away, the wind whistling fiercely in my ear as I began to drop again. I bounced at least twice off the ground before I finally began to slow down, and firmly skidded to halt. I couldn't even bring myself up before Discord was on me again to force my head back down, feeling like he had crushed my skull. I threw my draconic arm up, slashing him across the forehead, and gripped his eagle arm tightly and throwing him to the ground before me.

I now had no control.

I attacked repeatedly, nonstop and mercilessly, watching in horror with what it was that I was doing myself. I only stopped for a moment to recompose myself and prepare for another wave of strikes before he punched my in the throat, dazing me for a moment before he held my throat again, holding me up, and thrust his hand into my soul.

"_No!_" A voice that was not mine cried out from my throat. Was this Nightingale?

I reached up with my hind legs and scratched as Discord's chest, causing him to drop me again as he covered his wounds with his arms. I could only hope they stung. I landed heavily, knocking the wind out of my chest as my vision blurred. I looked up and saw Discord seeming to struggle just as much as I. My breathing was long, heavy, and troublesome. I stood again, though uneasily, and slowly walked toward the god of chaos. "Discord," I rasped. My voice seemed different, layered, almost. I heard my voice within them, but with a dozen more blended together.

"So the demon shows its true self at last..." he said fearfully.

"No!" I yelled with my layered voice, "_You_ are the demon!"

He seemed to be taken aback at my accusation, "_I_ am the demon?" he seemed thoroughly offended, "My little pony, the Power Keeper is the true demon."

I felt the rage vanish as confusion washed over me. "W-what?" I stammered uneasily. I didn't know why, but I _believed_ him.

"The Power Keeper is the creation of pure darkness and corruption." he explained, getting back up.

I took a few steps away from him, the second presence ebbing away, "I don't believe this," I lied. "I am no demon," I stated firmly.

He laughed, "No? No demon? Oh, my dear, what lies have Princess Celestia told you?" I stared up at him as he spoke, "Have you not felt the temptation? The feeling of power caressing your very soul? It had just happened! Even now the fear and confusion is overwhelming your anger, and the Keeper's Spirit is leaving you. Why, don't you remember Rocket Science? Or, perhaps, all those years ago, when you were six?" he finished with a smile.

The fears and emotions of that day, that day...

I felt myself consumed again, not by the presence, but rage. I looked up at Discord. "Don't you dare mention that day to me! You know nothing!"

"I know everything, if not more than everything! I know the Power Keeper, not you, per se, but I know your soul."

"You've never seen my soul before," I retorted.

"No, maybe not, but I _have_ met your brethren."

"I've no brethren," I told him sternly.

"Not by blood, but by _soul_."

"Bah!" I denied, "I've no such thing!"

"Really? Then I can only assume that the shard of Manus that had asked me to _kill_ you, and _eliminate your very being was only a dream,_" he finished with a tone that had never set such fear into my heart before. It was much more than overwhelming, but overpowering. I can only assume that Discord had sensed my fear and disbelief, for he continued, "If you wish...I can show you your past lives..." I felt his offer genuine, but I couldn't believe it. "It won't be from my mind, but from your soul, giving you a brief, yet genuine peer into your pasts."

I shook my head, backing away from him again. "I..."

"Fine," he smiled as darkness concealed him, "Never mind then."

My eyes widened as he disappeared again. "Stop this madness!" I demanded. I felt myself being picked up again and thrown across the dimensional plane, and landing face-first into the ground, landing just beside where Dusk Shine lied.

I almost didn't get up.

Something heavy landed beside me, shaking the ground beneath me, and I opened my eyes to see Discord pick me up by the tail, staring at me with one eye close to mine. He intensely stared at me, which I returned. For a moment he stood, holding me in silence in the darkness as I hung there. "Screw you, lizard boy."

I quickly charged my horn and blasted him in the eye, sending him back a few steps before he fell over, throwing me over him in the process. He angrily got back up, covering his right eye. He gave me a stare hard enough to make up for the other eye, however. He stood again and leaped into the air, about to come down on me again before I quickly shot him in the other eye, and he landed before me on the ground with a heavy _thud_. I watched him as he sat there, temporarily sightless. I almost couldn't believe it when the idea was voiced into my mind.

_Kill him._

I felt my lips quiver at the thought of taking another life, and I had to step away from the defenseless Discord.

_Kill him._ It chanted again. _Kill him._

_ Kill him._ It chanted it repeatedly, thousands of voices in my mind, it seemed, demanding the same thing from me. In my confusion, Discord slowly rose again. I felt his intense glare burning into my crystalline coat, and I looked up to the see just what my spell had done to the god. I examined his eyes in shock to see that I had turned them a deep yellow with red irises. He stared at his hands for a moment or two before staring at me and rubbing his eyes.

"You...you..." he said quietly in shock and confusion. "..._You!_" he rose his hand to strike me again, but it stopped abruptly as I looked up, realizing I had stopped him with my magic. His hand was engulfed by my turquoise aura. I looked up at him, and I felt a grim smile slowly cross my face. The aura spread out and enveloped his entire being, and his face became unreadable. I felt as he ceased struggling, and overtaking him became all the easier.

My horn began to glow in the darkness, and I looked up at him and he down at me. I felt myself drawing up the strength for an offensive spell. I didn't know what to think. My mind went...numb. I traveled back to my childhood...all those years ago...and for the first time since crossing to the Discordant Plane, I only heard my own thought.

_Would they have wanted this?_

Discord smiled as I stopped. "What's wrong?" he teased, "Do it! Prove me right! Prove that corruption has taken over you!"

I was just about to release my magic when I heard Dusk Shine again. "Sapphire, don't!"

I looked over to Dusk Shine, and she stood beside me, and I could see her desperately hoping that I would end the fight there. I looked over to Discord. He stared down at me, his expression blank. I looked down at my hooves, unsure who I even was at this point. I released my magic, and let him fall back down to the ground, unharmed.

"It's all right, Sapphire," I heard Dusk Shine say reassuringly.

I looked up just in time to see Discord rise once more, and lift his hand. But his red aura was again overtaken quickly by my own. I felt as my magic melded together with Dusk Shine's, and together we banished the darkness from around us, revealing a checkerboard pattern of pink and purple with a tall throne on the other side of the island. Dusk Shine and I, together began to envelop Discord's entire body with our magic.

"What do you two think you're doing?" he asked angrily. I took satisfaction as I threw him onto the throne, and Dusk Shine and I exchanged glances before we, together, began to use our magic to bind him to his throne. "What are you-!" he was stopped as he tried to get up from his throne, but as he did, he was thrown back to the decorated stone throne. "What the..." he trailed away, standing atop his throne.

I felt the process begin to speed up as I converted the chaotic magic surrounding Discord's throne, and reconfigured them to attract his specific chaotic magic. And as he desperately tried again to escape his throne, he was only thrown back into place. He stared in disbelief at what it was that we had done. "W-what have you done to me...?" he asked as he stared in fear at the throne. He turned to us and quickly lunged at us again, only to stop a nose away from me and get flung back to his throne once again. But then, as I was expecting him to attempt at another attack, he suddenly stopped everything. It was almost as though all life had been removed from his very soul.

I nearly jumped as he became full of life suddenly once again, only...different. "Heheh...heheh! Ahahah! Aahahahahaha!" Without a single word, he continuously laughed maniacally without breath for several minutes. It seemed the Great Discord had cracked at last. "I don't-I don't understand!" he cried out between gulps of air and laughter. "How could you two-ahaha! You two _alone_ defeat _me?!_ I am...I...eheheh...I am _THE _Discord!"

"We have something you don't, Discord," I began, taking a step toward the crazed god-like being. "We have the magic of friendship."

"_Friendship?_ That is the most _hilarious _thing I've ever heard! Ahahahahaha! Ohohahahahoha!"

I turned to Dusk Shine as Discord continued his long, drawn-out laughter and let him be on his prison. "Thank you, Dusk Shine," I said, almost unable to hear myself over Discord's mad laughter.

"Of course," she replied smoothly. "What are friends for, if not to be there for each other?"

"I nearly made a grave mistake..." I said regretfully. "It was strange..."

"What was?"

I hadn't really noticed it in the heat of the battle with Discord, but something flashed before my eyes, almost too quickly to understand, after I had made the decision _not_ to kill Discord. I was...driven mad as I relentlessly attacked him with my magic... "N-nothing."

"What was it?"

I shook my head, "it was nothing, really. Just a thought that escapes me, now."

She smiled, and I did too, and we looked over to where our friends laid unconsciously. "Come on," she said confidently again, "let's gather them up and get out of here!"

"Oh...I feel bad for you, Sapphire..." I heard Discord say behind me as I turned to get ready to leave.

I turned back to the caged madman. "How come?" I asked curtly.

"Your...'friendship' will be your downfall. Mark my words, Sapphire. It. Will. End. You." he said seriously. After a second of looking me dead in the eye the crazed glint in his yellowed eyes returned, and his mad laughter returned as quickly as it came. And though I knew his ravings were nothing but the ramblings of a lunatic, his final words continuously rang through my mind.

_It will end you._


	20. Epilogue

-Chapter XX- Epilogue

-Canterlot, Equestria

-30th of March, 1008 A.D.

-3:00 P.M.

-Celestia

It was just yesterday when she found them. They all seemed to be lying in a circle, the poor little mares. Faith was the first to awake, followed by Dusk Shine. One by one they awoke to tell her the very same story from other perspectives. Dusk Shine's, however, seemed to be the one to stand out the most, for she was the only one that remembered anything after they were thrown into the Discordant Plane. She only remembered the smallest of shreds, however. Only that it was she and Sapphire who had defeated Discord, and bound him to his own throne. _Surely, I must think of a solution to what it is I should do with him so he may not hurt anymore Equestrians, _she thought. _Perhaps I could try to reform him? No, that could never work..._

She looked up to where Sapphire lay on her bed, in her house with Dusk Shine, Faith, Princess Luna, and Head Start standing guard just outside the house. _Head Start has been very helpful,_ she thought, _perhaps he's wishing to join the upper ranks? _Celestia smiled as she realized this wasn't the case, but the curve of her lips disappeared nearly as soon as it had come when she noticed Sapphire's slowed breathing yet again. Magic can be a dangerous thing, if you use more than you have. Of course, it is rare for a spellcaster to be able to reach their limit before they falter, but Sapphire seemed to have gone beyond even that.

"Come, sister."

Celestia jumped as she heard her sister's voice suddenly speak in her soft tone beside her. She looked over to Luna, and gave her a small nod of understanding. "Yes, I suppose we must be going, thank you, sister, for reminding me."

She got up, her gaze not moving from the Crystalline Equestrian that slept before her, still unmoving from her position of rest. She sighed heavily, hoping that she wouldn't have to depart from her apprentice before she awoke from her enchanted sleep. Before she could think to do or say another thing, she quickly turned away, and as she began to trot towards Sapphire's bedroom door, she stopped suddenly. She trotted back to Sapphire, and quietly bent her neck down to lightly kiss her cheek, like a caring mother looking over her youthful filly while she slept peacefully.

"Goodbye, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna," Dusk Shine bid farewell as they turned to leave once more, nodding to each of them.

"Farewell, Dusk Shine, and to you, Faith," Celestia looked over her shoulder to see Faith sitting over Sapphire's peaceful body without movement nor word. "Do look over her, please...just as you did before."

"Of course, Princess," Dusk Shine replied softly, and though she were turned away, she could feel Dusk Shine's caring, careful smile illuminating the room.

As they trotted out of the still-empty house, Celestia stopped by where Head Start stood, ever vigilant. His gaze quickly turned to her as she looked over him, seeing the exhaustion just as much as the determination in his eyes. "You are to stand guard over her," she ordered the guard. He almost seemed taken aback by her orders, "I trust you can handle that, yes?"

With a quick nod, he replied quickly, "of course, Princess."

"Very good," she said with a sure smile and trotting a little further from the house with Luna at her side. Simultaneously, their wings released and their full wingspans were revealed before they flew up into the sky, leaving a few feathers in the place of where they just were.

"Tia," she heard Luna ask from a few feet to her right, "what shall we do with Discord, now that he is trapped in his Plane? Should we leave him?"

"No, the magic keeping him bound to the throne may eventually wear out, and he would only be released once again to wreak havoc upon Equestria."

"Then what shall we do?" she called over the roar of a passing gust of wind shrouded their words.

"Starswirl has come up with a possible solution," she called back. The wind died down again, and Celestia returned to her soft tone once again, "fear not, Luna, I will figure all of this out."

As she trotted up to Discord, still stranded on his throne, anger of Sapphire's condition flared in her mind, and from what Celestia saw in Luna's eye, she had the very same emotion dwelling within her. A school of fish flew past them as she felt the presence from the Tree of Harmony watching them yet again, but Celestia's anger washed over her curiosity, and she only ignored it. The Elements of Harmony bounced up and down in her golden saddlebags, ready to take Discord hopefully for good. Discord had himself and the throne turned away from them as they trotted on the blue checkerboard-patterned floor, looking up at the horned wooden throne. They stopped suddenly as the throne spun around.

"Ohohoho!" he laughed maniacally. Was this the same, wicked Discord that they had known for the longest of time to be the demonic god of chaos? Surely not, he seemed...as though he had lost his mind... "This is _so_ much fun! How about a little game of pin the tail on the pony?" he asked with a devious smile across his face as he held up Celestia's multicoloured, sparkling tail. Suddenly, in fear, Celestia's wings spread out in immediate reaction, almost hitting Luna in the process, and she gasped in horror as she looked over to see that her tail was indeed gone.

The anger returned.

"Play time is over for you, Discord!" she yelled up at him.

He suddenly pulled out a small burlap bag of hardened, black seeds he was about to pull some out with his eagle-hand, sending a handful or two flying with his exaggerated motions before responding, "ohhh I doubt that." he said as he rolled his eyes before popping one of the seed into his mouth. "Mmm, hmm!" he said, before thrusting the bag towards the two princesses, "hungry?" A seed bounced off each of their noses as their resentful glare remained placed on his strange, twisted actions. He still held out the bag before pulling it back close to him with a sigh, "oh, suit yourselves." He took another handful and threw them into his mouth, seemingly too enticed by their flavour. It was then Celestia decided to use the Elements of Harmony, not standing his lunacy any longer, and with Sapphire's condition, she wanted to do this as soon as she could.

She used her golden magic to open her saddlebags of the same colour, removing the Elements one-by-one, with the Element of Friendship leading the way. Once they were all out, she held them like a wall between them and Discord. As he was about to toss another seed into his mouth, Discord appeared astonished by this, dropping all of the remaining seeds as he held up his hands in surprise. "Oooh! What have you got there?" he asked, rubbing his bearded chin with his eagle hand.

Celestia displayed her magical ability with ease as she spun the Elements all about the two princesses, and together they seemed to have created a bubble of magic around them. "The Elements of Harmony," she said with a determined tone that she forced not to break.

"With them, we shall defeat you!" Luna cried out.

"Discord rolled over, still on his cage of a throne, and began to laugh maniacally yet again. "Ahaha!" he sat back up quickly, "you should _see_ yourselves right now!" he cried out in amusement. "The expressions on your faces! So intense, so _sure _of yourselves! Aha!"

The two princesses exchanged glances before crossing their horns, together harnessing only the smallest fraction of the Elements' power. From them, a beam of rainbow shot upwards before spiraling up even higher, and when it had reached as high as it would go, it arched towards Discord and began to fall quickly, targeted for his face, still laughing without realization of what it was that was about to happen to him. "Hilarious!" he cried out. "Ahahaha!" he began to laugh so hard that be had to clutch his belly, and as the magic enveloped him, he held his arm high in the air, still unaware of his impending fate. Celestia took a grim pride as she watched Discord slowly harden, and become completely made of stone.

A blinding flash of light followed, and Celestia was forced to shield her eyes from the blast. When the light died down once again, she peered over her hoof to see that it had worked, and that Discord was, in fact, encased in stone exactly where he had been overtaken by the Elements' magic, and in the very same position. She looked down on the ground to where the Elements were, scattered all about.

"Tia?" Luna asked from behind Celestia as she slowly trotted to where the Elements lied. "What happened to them all?"

Celestia stared in disbelief, realizing that she should've seen this coming far before even coming to the Discordant Plane. "I..." The Elements were encased in stone.

She then realized the strange being watching them was gone, too. What could be happening? "They must've...retracted into this state when we used them against their will."

"Against their will? The Elements are meant to bring peace to Equestria! With Discord trapped in stone for all of eternity, we shall live in exactly that!" Luna debated.

"Yes, but they knew just as well as we did that Sapphire's solution was merciful on both ends of the bargain, even without using them, she was able to create a path that peaceful. What we had used them for...they deemed unworthy."

"Does this mean they will no longer carry magic within them?" Luna's eyes widened as she asked this, "what will become of the Tree of Harmony? Without the Elements, won't it-"

"Sister, do not fear," Celestia stopped her sister as her fears began to overwhelm her thoughts. "They are still alive, however, they will remain in their catatonic state, so to speak, until they find another group of beings they deem worthy for their power. These are the Elements of Harmony and their willpower."

Silence fell between them as Luna looked to the ground, "Tia..." she murmured.

"Yes, sister?" Celestia asked as she gathered the Elements together and replacing them in her saddlebag. She stopped suddenly once she realized something was amiss.

She looked to Luna, who stood, holding up the Element of Courage with her magic.

"Sister..." Celestia repeated in awe as she beheld the still-active Element. "Why did you – how'd you-?"

"I felt as though I needed to keep it safe," she replied softly with a sense of remorse, "just in case something happened."

The surprise vanished from Celestia's mind as she saw yet again the wisdom that her sister held that she wish she could as well. "And something did indeed," she trotted over to Luna and examined the deep-green gem as it sparkled in the light of the Discordant Plane. "I am astonished yet again, sister, by your quick-thinking and insight," she said with a soft, grateful smile.

"Come, Tia, let us take Discord and return to Equestria."

"Yes, but what to do with him now?"

Luna shrugged, "I wouldn't mind having him as a lawn ornament!"

Celestia smiled before agreeing. "Perhaps Flower Bud will find a place for him in the Royal Gardens."

Together, they lifted Discord's stone forme and began to depart from Discord's twisted world and back to their own world of Equestria.


End file.
